The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has strongly condemned the alleged invasion of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), describing the action as reckless, unacceptable, and a direct threat to healthcare workers in Nigeria. In a statement released on Friday and signed by the NMA National Publicity Secretary, Professor Olayinka Atilola, the association alleged that EFCC operatives stormed the UUTH premises on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in an operation that led to the arrest and assault of doctors and other health personnel.
Details of the Incident
The NMA claimed that the target of the operation was the hospital’s Deputy Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (DCMAC), Professor Eyo Ekpe, rather than a financial crime syndicate. According to the association, the EFCC’s action allegedly stemmed from delays in authenticating a medical report obtained from the hospital concerning a suspect in the agency’s custody. The NMA described it as disturbing that a security agency would abandon due process and professionalism in handling a routine matter involving verification of a medical report.
NMA President, Professor Afekhide Ernest Omoti, who condemned the incident, stated that the association is demanding an explanation from the anti-graft agency and called for stronger measures to protect healthcare professionals from harassment and intimidation while carrying out their duties. According to Omoti, the incident at UUTH reflects a growing pattern of attacks against medical personnel across the country, further worsening the challenges faced by doctors and health workers. He noted that poor remuneration, difficult working conditions, heavy workload, and rising insecurity have already contributed to the migration of healthcare professionals abroad.
NMA’s Response and Demands
“The leadership of NMA will no longer fold its hands while the few doctors and health workers who have chosen to stay back and salvage the fragile health system in Nigeria are brutalized or harassed in the course of their duty,” Omoti stated. The association expressed support for the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the NMA and its ongoing indefinite strike action in response to the incident. It also directed all state and FCT branches to demand the identification and prosecution of individuals responsible for future cases of harassment against doctors as a minimum condition for industrial harmony.
The NMA further called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede to institute a public inquiry into the incident, identify the officers involved, and ensure disciplinary action and compensation for affected medical personnel. The association also urged federal and state governments to enact laws designating hospitals as protected zones and making violence against healthcare workers a serious criminal offence. It further recommended that complaints relating to medical negligence or misconduct be referred to professional regulatory bodies such as the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria instead of immediate law enforcement intervention.
Call for Systemic Changes
The NMA also called on hospital managements nationwide to establish mandatory reporting systems for workplace violence and implement zero-tolerance policies against verbal and physical abuse of healthcare workers. The association expressed solidarity with doctors and health workers who have experienced workplace violence and pledged continued support in seeking justice and redress. The NMA emphasized that the protection of healthcare workers is paramount to the stability of Nigeria’s health system and called for immediate action to prevent future occurrences.
