UUTH Services Shut Down After EFCC Attempted Arrest Of Senior Hospital Staff

Activities at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, UUTH, were disrupted on Tuesday, May 12, following an attempted arrest operation involving operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The incident reportedly involved Effiong Ekpe, Deputy Chairman of the hospital’s Medical Advisory Committee, alongside three other staff members.

According to reports, EFCC operatives arrived at the hospital with a court warrant but allegedly met resistance from hospital workers and security personnel, who locked the hospital gate to prevent their exit from the premises.

The tense situation reportedly forced the anti-graft agency to call for reinforcement before police officers arrived at the scene.

Following the development, the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, and leaders of the Joint Health Sector Unions declared an immediate shutdown of hospital services in protest against the arrest operation.

The Akwa Ibom State NMA chairman, Aniekan Peters, directed doctors across the state to halt services, while the association’s spokesperson, Gabriel Eyo, described the EFCC’s action as an attack on the hospital and its workers.

Eyo stated that Prof. Ekpe, described as the only professor of cardiothoracic surgery in the state, was allegedly injured during the incident and should not have been treated like a criminal.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force distanced itself from the arrest, stating that officers were only deployed to maintain peace and verify the identity of the operatives involved.

Akwa Ibom Commissioner of Police, Baba Mohammed Azare, explained that the EFCC operation was linked to an ongoing court matter involving a suspect accused of defrauding several microfinance banks, including the University of Uyo Microfinance Bank.

In its response, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale denied allegations of assault against the operatives.

According to the commission, the operatives had visited the hospital to verify a medical report submitted by a suspect currently under remand before M.A. Onyetunu of the Federal High Court in Uyo.

The EFCC claimed it had earlier written two letters to the hospital management requesting authentication of the medical report but allegedly received no response.

The agency further alleged that its operatives were attacked by some hospital staff who pelted them with stones and dangerous objects after the hospital management reportedly ordered the gates shut.

Despite the confrontation, the EFCC maintained that its officers acted professionally and eventually exited the hospital premises peacefully without disrupting hospital operations.