The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, has promised that any officer found to have acted outside established professional standards will face disciplinary action following an incident involving operatives of the commission and staff of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital in Cross River State.
The incident occurred on May 12, following a visit to the teaching hospital by armed commission agents who allegedly beat the Deputy Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, Professor Eyo Ekpe, and four other staff members.
Following a preliminary investigation into the incident, Olukoyede ordered that a formal apology be issued.
In a statement released on Monday via the EFCC’s X (Twitter), he stated that the decision was made to address concerns raised by the medical community and members of the public affected by the incident.
He expressed sadness at the development, stressing that the operatives’ conduct did not meet the commission’s standards.
“While acknowledging that the well-being of Nigerians is at the core of the Commission’s mandate, he expressed regret at the discomfort the unfortunate episode caused staff of the hospital and members of the public,” the statement read.
Olukoyede also confirmed that a thorough inquiry into the incident had been ordered and that any officer found guilty would face internal disciplinary action.
“While acknowledging that the well-being of Nigerians is at the core of the Commission’s mandate, he expressed regret at the discomfort the unfortunate episode caused staff of the hospital and members of the public,” the statement read.
Olukoyede also confirmed that a thorough inquiry into the incident had been ordered and that any officer found guilty would face internal disciplinary action.
He said, “Once the exercise is completed, any officer found to have acted outside the acceptable code of professional conduct would be subjected to the internal disciplinary process.”
The EFCC chairman also assured stakeholders that the agency would work closely with relevant agencies to prevent similar situations from occurring again.
Despite the uproar, Olukoyede insisted that the agency would continue to carry out its job of combating economic and financial crimes in Nigeria without distraction.
He also urged the Nigerian Medical Association and other professional organizations to continue supporting the commission’s anti-corruption operations, emphasizing the importance of partnership in improving accountability and combatting corruption in Nigeria.
Recall that Ekpe, a cardiothoracic surgery professor at the teaching hospital, had previously accused EFCC agents of harassing and abusing him and other hospital employees during an attempted arrest for an alleged fraudulent medical report.
During a press conference last Wednesday, Ekpe described the circumstances leading up to the confrontation between EFCC officers and hospital staff.
Similarly, the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Prof. Ememabasi Bassey, stated that Ekpe and four other employees were arrested without prior notification to hospital administration.
Recall that Ekpe, a cardiothoracic surgery professor at the teaching hospital, had previously accused EFCC agents of harassing and abusing him and other hospital employees during an attempted arrest for an alleged fraudulent medical report.
During a press conference last Wednesday, Ekpe described the circumstances leading up to the confrontation between EFCC officers and hospital staff.
Similarly, the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Prof. Ememabasi Bassey, stated that Ekpe and four other employees were arrested without prior notification to hospital administration.
Bassey argued that the medical report in question was forged and suggested that officials at the institution may have worked with outsiders to create it.
“One of the things we must get to the bottom of is how the lawyer handling the case got the fake medical report. There may be bad eggs within the hospital working with outsiders,” he said.
Bassey berated the conduct of the operatives, saying they went directly to Ekpe’s office without notifying management or presenting an arrest warrant.
“At no point did they come to look for the CMD, the CMAC, or the director of administration. They went to his office,” he said.
The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria and the Association of Resident Doctors, UUTH chapters, both criticized the incident and declared industrial action in response to the alleged attack and arrest.
The groups demanded disciplinary action against the participating operators, compensation and treatment for wounded workers, public apologies in two national publications, and property damage repairs.
The EFCC chairman’s directive for a probe appears to contradict an earlier statement by the commission, which maintained that the operatives involved acted professionally and did not disrupt hospital activities.
