MDCAN slams EFCC personnel’s assault on UUTH doctor, demands action

The Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has issued a strong condemnation following the reported assault, brutalisation, and unlawful detention of Professor Eyo Ekpe and other medical personnel by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) in Akwa Ibom State. This incident has sparked outrage within the medical community, which views the actions as a "dehumanising and barbaric display of power" within a hospital environment.

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The National Officers Committee of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria, under the leadership of Prof. Appolos Chidi Ndukuba, expresses its profound indignation and grave concern regarding the reported assault, brutalisation, and unlawful detention of Professor Eyo Ekpe (DCMAC, UUTH) and several of our colleagues by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Akwa Ibom State.

MDCAN, representing the highest echelon of medical expertise in Nigeria, has unequivocally stated that it will no longer tolerate any form of harassment, intimidation, or victimisation of its members by law enforcement agencies. The association stressed that hospitals are sanctuaries for the sick and professional workspaces for lifesavers, and as such, must remain safe, conducive, and free from state-sponsored intimidation. The sanctity of these environments, where healthcare workers are actively engaged in their duties, must be respected.

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MDCAN, representing the highest echelon of medical expertise in Nigeria, condemns in the strongest possible terms this dehumanising and barbaric display of power. It is particularly distressing that this incident occurred within the sacred precincts of a hospital, an environment dedicated to the preservation of human life, while our members were actively engaged in their clinical duties.

Professor Appolos Chidi Ndukuba, the National President of MDCAN, expressed profound indignation, highlighting that such actions not only traumatise healthcare workers but could also endanger the lives of patients receiving care. The association is collaborating with its UUTH chapter to conduct a thorough investigation and is engaging relevant authorities to ensure justice is served. They have demanded the immediate investigation and prosecution of the EFCC operatives allegedly involved in this egregious incident.

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The hospital is a sanctuary for the sick and a professional workspace for lifesavers; it must remain safe, conducive, and free from state-sponsored intimidation.

This event raises critical questions about the conduct of law enforcement agencies and the need for greater inter-agency cooperation and respect for professional boundaries. The Nigerian medical community, through MDCAN, is sending a clear message that such violations will not be tolerated, demanding accountability and reaffirming the inviolability of healthcare settings.

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Let it be known that MDCAN shall no longer tolerate any form of harassment, intimidation, or victimisation of its members by law enforcement agencies.