Doctors in Akwa Ibom State have declared an indefinite strike after operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission stormed the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital and arrested a senior doctor and other staff members. The incident has sparked nationwide outrage.
The raid happened on Tuesday, May 12. Armed EFCC operatives arrived at the hospital in vehicles and went directly to the office of Professor Eyo Ekpe, a cardiothoracic surgeon and Deputy Chairman of the hospital’s Medical Advisory Committee. Witnesses say the operatives wore masks and did not identify themselves when they arrived.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Professor Ekpe said he was in the process of preparing a response to an EFCC inquiry when the operatives returned and placed him under arrest. “I asked them why. I was not the one who issued the medical report. My name is not on it,” Ekpe said.
The EFCC said its operatives visited the hospital to verify a medical report submitted by a suspect facing trial for allegedly defrauding multiple microfinance banks, including the University of Uyo Microfinance Bank. The agency said it had sent two letters to the hospital in March and April requesting the verification but received no reply.
EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale denied that operatives used excessive force. He said the operatives were attacked with stones by hospital staff and were locked inside the facility. “It is a criminal offence to obstruct the lawful duties of the commission,” Oyewale warned.
However, the Nigerian Medical Association in Akwa Ibom said the raid was an assault on the medical profession. The association said Ekpe was physically beaten, handcuffed, and forcibly removed. It also alleged that teargas and live ammunition were fired within the hospital.
The NMA announced an immediate and indefinite strike across all public hospitals in Akwa Ibom State. The association demanded an unconditional apology from the EFCC, the release of all detained staff, and compensation for those injured.
Former presidential candidate Peter Obi condemned the raid on Thursday. “This thoughtless act greatly compromised the general safety in the hospital environment and jeopardised the health of the sick people in the hospital,” Obi said in a signed statement.
The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria and the Association of Resident Doctors also condemned the operation. Health services at the teaching hospital remain disrupted as the strike continues.
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