The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has tendered an apology to a senior medical practitioner at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), Professor Eyo Ekpe, and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) over the controversial and unprofessional conduct of its operatives during a recent enforcement operation at the hospital.
The apology was contained in a statement on Monday, May 18, 2026, in which the commission explained that its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, reviewed a preliminary report on the incident and directed that an apology to be formally conveyed to Prof. Ekpe, who serves as Deputy Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee at UUTH, as well as to the leadership and members of the NMA.
The EFCC said the apology forms part of immediate administrative steps taken after internal assessment of the circumstances surrounding the operation, which sparked widespread condemnation from medical practitioners, civil society groups and members of the public.
The EFCC apology followed public outrage and threats of industrial action by medical professionals in Akwa Ibom State over the May 12, incident during which some staff of the hospital were allegedly assaulted by operatives of the EFCC that stormed the teaching hospital in Uyo.
The Chairman of the commission, Mr Olukoyede while expressing regret over the incident and the discomfort caused to the hospital staff, patients, and the wider public, emphasised that the agency did not intend to undermine healthcare delivery in the course of its anti-corruption duties.
Olukoyede said he had directed a comprehensive probe into the conduct of the operatives involved, stressing that any officer found to have acted outside the established rules of engagement would face disciplinary measures in line with internal procedures.
The EFCC also pledged to engage relevant stakeholders, including professional bodies in the health sector, to prevent a recurrence of similar confrontations in the future.
The commission, however, said that the incident would not weaken its statutory mandate to investigate and prosecute economic and financial crimes across the country.
The Medical Consultants Associations and Residents Doctors Association had issued a two-week ultimatum and demanded a written apology and compensation for victims of the EFCC’s raid, warning of a possible strike if their demands were not met.
