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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied the allegations of assault and arrest of University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) employees by its personnel during their visit on Tuesday.
The anti-graft agency’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, in a statement issued on Friday, said the visit was administrative and that the commission has ordered an investigation into the allegations.
“The presence of the commission’s operatives in the facility on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, was purely administrative, to facilitate the authentication of a document, rather than a tactical operation to effect arrest,” said Oyewale.
“Contrary to the information making the rounds, no arrests were made, and the staff of the hospital that followed our operatives to the Zonal Command were not detained.”
According to him, the agency found the allegations of the UUTH staff’s assault to be outrageous.
“We have not seen any physical evidence of such brutality in terms of bodily harm or injury to anyone, including to the staff members who addressed the media on this issue,” Oyewale added.
“The commission, as a responsible organisation, has, however, ordered an investigation into the incident and acknowledges stakeholders who have shown concern in the amicable resolution of the issue.
“The agency once again reassures the public, including medical staff of the UUTH, that the May 12 incident was an aberration, and should not be allowed to be exploited by some fifth columnists to undermine the fight against corruption in Nigeria.”
He assured Nigerians that any EFCC operative found guilty of deviating from the agency’s standard operating procedure will not be spared following the conclusion of investigations.
A Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at UUTH, Prof. Eyo Ekpe, had accused EFCC operatives of assaulting him and other staff members during an attempt to arrest him over an alleged fake medical report.
The professor said EFCC operatives visited his office, but he informed them that the document still required approval from the Chief Medical Director before it could be officially signed and stamped.
According to him, the operatives demanded his arrest and refused to allow him to wait for another staff member before he was taken out of his office.
He also accused EFCC operatives of preventing him from speaking with colleagues or answering phone calls while armed officers surrounded him. He described the incident as emotionally traumatising.
