The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has stated that its officers were attacked and pelted with stones while conducting official enquiries at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) in Akwa Ibom State.
According to reports, panic broke out at the hospital on Tuesday after EFCC operatives arrived in vehicles, including saloon cars and a tinted bus. Some of the officers were reportedly masked, while others wore EFCC-branded jackets. The presence of the operatives caused commotion among staff, patients, and visitors, with videos circulating online showing people fleeing the premises after teargas was allegedly deployed.
During the operation, Professor Eyo Ekpe, a cardiothoracic surgeon and deputy chairman of the hospital’s Medical Advisory Committee, was reportedly arrested.
In a statement, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said the commission’s officials were at the hospital to verify a medical report submitted by a suspect currently remanded over allegations of fraud involving several microfinance banks, including the University of Uyo Microfinance Bank.
Oyewale explained that the EFCC had written two letters to the hospital management seeking clarification on the medical report but received no response. He added that the investigating officer handling the case had previously visited the facility for further enquiries.
He said operatives later approached the hospital’s Chief Medical Director (CMD) as a final step to obtain information, but claimed they were locked inside the premises following a false alarm and subsequently attacked by some staff members who threw stones and other objects at them.
The EFCC spokesperson also alleged that the hospital gates were shut during the incident, making it difficult for the operatives to leave. He said police authorities in the state advised the hospital management to open the gates to allow a peaceful exit, but the request was reportedly declined.
Despite the confrontation, the commission maintained that its officers exercised restraint and exited the premises without disrupting hospital operations. The EFCC reiterated that its investigative activities are lawful and urged institutions and individuals to cooperate with its officials when carrying out official duties.
