Medical services face shutdown after doctors accuse EFCC operatives of assault, intimidation and unlawful arrests inside Uyo Teaching Hospital.
A fresh crisis has erupted in Akwa Ibom State after the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) declared an indefinite statewide strike following a controversial raid by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH).
The incident, which reportedly triggered panic inside the hospital, has now snowballed into a major confrontation between Nigeria’s medical community and the anti-graft agency. Doctors accused EFCC operatives of invading the hospital environment, assaulting medical personnel, firing shots, and arresting senior officials during the operation.
Among those allegedly affected was Professor Eyo Ekpe, a cardiothoracic surgeon and Deputy Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee at UUTH. The NMA described the operation as “barbaric” and a violation of the sanctity of healthcare institutions, insisting that no doctor should face intimidation while attending to patients.
The EFCC, however, denied claims of assault and brutality. According to the commission, its officers only visited the hospital to authenticate a medical report submitted by a fraud suspect currently standing trial. The agency further claimed its operatives faced resistance from some hospital staff during the exercise.
Despite the denial, the NMA proceeded with the strike action, shutting down medical services across Akwa Ibom while threatening a ₦1 billion lawsuit against the anti-corruption agency. The development has sparked outrage online, with many Nigerians warning that patients could suffer severe consequences if the standoff continues unresolved.