The Chief Medical Director of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), Professor Ememabasi Bassey, has made a heartfelt appeal to doctors to call off their indefinite strike and return to work. The strike was declared after operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) stormed the hospital, arrested a senior medical officer, and detained four other staff members.
Strike Disrupts Critical Services
The industrial action has severely disrupted essential medical services at the hospital, leaving many patients in distress. Reports indicate that patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), emergency wards, and premature babies in incubators are at heightened risk of preventable deaths due to the lack of medical attention.
Speaking to journalists in Uyo, Professor Bassey stressed that the hospital, which serves millions of residents across Akwa Ibom State and neighboring regions, cannot afford a prolonged shutdown. He pleaded with the doctors to prioritize saving lives by resuming their duties.
Details of the EFCC Operation
The CMD provided a detailed account of the incident that triggered the strike. He alleged that EFCC operatives invaded the hospital on Tuesday, firing tear gas and arresting Professor Eyo Ekpe, a Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Deputy Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, along with four other staff members. The arrest was made without prior notice to the hospital management or the presentation of an arrest warrant.
The operation caused widespread panic within the hospital, with some workers sustaining injuries during the confrontation. This prompted the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) and the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), UUTH chapter, to declare an indefinite strike and condemn the invasion as unacceptable.
In a joint communiqué signed by MDCAN Chairman Dr. Mfon Inoh, Secretary Dr. Kalu Nnenna, ARD President Dr. Ekomobong Udoh, and Secretary Dr. Kenneth Ikott, the associations described the incident as a violent attack and abduction of hospital management staff.
Background of the EFCC Investigation
Professor Bassey disclosed that the EFCC operatives had visited the hospital to verify a medical report suspected to be fake. Preliminary investigations suggested that some individuals within or outside the hospital may have collaborated to produce the forged document.
He noted that UUTH letterheads are widely available, even in business centers, and that the hospital has encountered numerous fake medical reports purportedly issued from the facility. The letterhead used in the suspected fake report was an outdated version.
Balanced View on EFCC
Despite criticizing the conduct of the operatives involved, Professor Bassey refrained from condemning the EFCC as an institution. He acknowledged the agency's important role in fighting corruption in Nigeria and urged that the actions of a few operatives should not tarnish the reputation of the entire organization.
The CMD also refuted claims that the hospital ignored earlier correspondence from the EFCC. He stated that management received only one letter dated April 21, 2026, while an earlier letter from March 11 allegedly never reached his office. He explained that delays in authentication were due to public holidays, weekends, and the official assignment of Professor Ekpe, who was away participating in national postgraduate medical examinations.
According to Bassey, Ekpe eventually returned and produced a draft report confirming that the medical document under investigation was fake. This report was presented to the EFCC operatives before his arrest.
Questions Over Arrest Procedure
Professor Bassey questioned why the operatives targeted Professor Ekpe instead of the hospital management if the issue was delayed authentication. He argued that an arrest warrant should be presented before any arrest, and that the CEO, not a staff member carrying out an assignment, should be held responsible for any delay.
He further alleged that the operatives entered the hospital without identifying themselves to management and proceeded directly to Ekpe's office before returning with armed, hooded men. This caused staff to flee in panic.
The CMD contacted the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, who initially suspected the men might not be police officers and advised the hospital to secure its gates. By the time it was confirmed that the operatives were from the EFCC, tear gas had already been deployed and panic had spread throughout the hospital premises.
Resolution and Aftermath
Professor Bassey later accompanied the operatives to the EFCC regional office, where the detained staff members were released after discussions with senior officials. He added that several staff members sustained injuries during the incident, including one with a visible head wound.
The CMD reiterated his appeal for the doctors to resume work, emphasizing the critical need to save lives and restore normalcy at the hospital.
