Posted on: Wed 13-05-2026

Medical services at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) were thrown into disarray on Tuesday after doctors and health workers launched an indefinite strike in response to a dramatic raid by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The incident, which unfolded in the afternoon, began when EFCC officials stormed the hospital in an attempt to arrest a staff member. Their presence immediately drew resistance from workers, prompting the operatives to call for reinforcement.

According to eyewitnesses, additional EFCC personnel arrived and allegedly fired shots into the air to disperse staff who had gathered to prevent the arrest. Tear gas was also reportedly deployed, sending patients, students and workers scrambling for safety.

In the ensuing chaos, the deputy chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, Prof. Effiong Ekpe, along with three other staff members, was forcefully taken away. Witnesses claimed several people sustained injuries, while phones were smashed as workers tried to record the confrontation.

 

Medical Associations Order Statewide Shutdown

The fallout was swift. The Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Aniekan Peters, directed all doctors across the state to immediately withdraw their services. Leaders of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) followed suit, announcing a total shutdown of hospital operations.

Confirming the development, NMA spokesperson Dr. Gabriel Eyo condemned the EFCC’s actions, describing the raid as “an onslaught on the hospital and its workers.”

Eyo said Prof. Ekpe the only cardiothoracic surgeon in Akwa Ibom was assaulted and dragged “like a common criminal,” despite being moments away from performing surgery.

 “Even criminals are not treated this way,” Eyo said, adding that the professor was left bleeding from the head and may have suffered traumatic injury.

He noted that several staff members, including asthmatic workers, were affected by the tear gas used during the confrontation.

 

Police: EFCC Acted on Court Order

Reacting to the uproar, the Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, Baba Azare, said the EFCC was acting on a court directive to produce a hospital staff member involved in an ongoing case.

Azare explained that he deployed a senior police officer to verify the identities of the operatives after the hospital’s Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. Emem Bassey, raised concerns.

According to him, once the EFCC’s legitimacy was confirmed, he advised the CMD to grant them access.

“We didn’t invade the hospital,” Azare insisted. “We acted on a legitimate request and confirmed the operatives were genuine.

 

Hospital Services Remain Paralyzed

As of Wednesday morning, services at UUTH and other health facilities in the state remain shut, with the NMA expected to release its full strike resolutions soon.

The incident has sparked widespread concern over the safety of health workers and the implications of security operations conducted within medical facilities.

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