The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria and the Association of Resident Doctors have condemned in very strong terms the harassment, assault and attempted force arrest of a Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Prof Eyo Ekpe by some operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The two professional bodies are demanding severe disciplinary action against the personnel of the EFCC involved in the unwholesome action.
The associations also demanded adequate compensation for injured workers of the Teaching Hospital, public apologies, vowing to continue the ongoing industrial action until their demands are met.
Prof. Eyo Ekpe pointedly accused the EFCC operatives of harassing, assaulting, intimidating and attempting to forcibly arrest him over an alleged fake medical report.
Ekpe stressed that the report being investigated was “fake” and did not originate from the hospital, assaying that checks by the Internal Medicine Department showed that the doctor whose name appeared on the document was not a staff of the Teaching Hospital.
The Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery said that he prepared a draft response confirming that the report was not genuine, adding however, that the operatives of the EFCC returned to his office with armed officers after he had informed them that the response still required the approval of the Chief Medical Director before it can be released.
In the words of Prof Ekpe; “They dragged me to the walkway, and I started crying and shouting that armed operatives are prevented me from speaking to colleagues. That was when the hospital workers came out to resist their use of force to arrest me and they dispersed the staff with tear gas and gunshots in a hospital environment”.
He further said that the masked men later stormed the hospital and assaulted some workers before dragging him and others into an EFCC waiting van.
The hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Prof. Ememabasi Bassey, confirmed the incident saying that Prof. Ekpe and four staff were arrested without notice to management, stressing that the report under investigation was fake.
Bassey further said that the EFCC operatives claimed that they visited the hospital as “a last resort” after earlier correspondence, alleging that they were locked in and attacked by some staff.
