Medical report: Outrage as EFCC operatives assault UNIUYO doctor, workers

A serious confrontation has erupted at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, following an alleged assault and arrest of hospital staff by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

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The suspect had presented a medical report which required authentication by the UUTH management. The Commission wrote two different letters, dated March 11, 2026, and April 20, 2026, to the hospital management to this effect without receiving any response.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, involved the arrest of four UUTH staff members, including Professor Effiong Ekpe, the Deputy Chairman of the Medical Advisory. According to eyewitnesses, EFCC operatives visited the hospital to authenticate a medical report submitted by a fraud suspect. When hospital staff reportedly resisted the arrest of one of their colleagues, the situation escalated, with allegations of shots being fired into the air to disperse the crowd.

The EFCC, in a statement, claimed its operatives were subjected to an "unprovoked attack" by "misguided staff" after the hospital management failed to respond to official requests for verification of the medical report. The agency stated its officers acted professionally and warned against obstructing lawful investigations.

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As a last resort, operatives of the commission visited the chief medical director of the hospital on Tuesday to make further enquiries, only to be locked in with a false alarm and subjected to an unprovoked attack by misguided staff of the facility who pelted them with stones and other dangerous objects.

However, the hospital's medical community has reacted with outrage. Doctors and health workers, under the umbrella of the Nigerian Medical Association and Joint Health Sector Unions, have declared an indefinite strike, demanding justice for their colleagues and protesting the alleged brutality. This standoff highlights a critical clash between law enforcement's investigative procedures and the rights and safety of healthcare professionals.

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Police authorities in Akwa Ibom State advised the CMD to open the hospital gates to enable the operatives to exit the premises peacefully, but the entreaties were turned down.