UYO, Akwa Ibom – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has broken its silence regarding the controversial encounter between its operatives and staff at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), describing the episode as purely administrative and not a tactical arrest operation.
Okay News reports that the Commission issued a formal clarification on Friday, May 15, 2026, to address the public outcry following allegations of harassment within the medical facility. The EFCC maintained that its operatives visited the hospital on Tuesday, May 12, solely to authenticate documents relevant to an ongoing investigation.
“The presence of the Commission’s Operatives in the facility… was purely administrative, to facilitate the authentication of a document, rather than a tactical operation to effect arrest,” the statement read. The Commission further denied claims that any hospital staff were detained, asserting that those who accompanied operatives to the Zonal Command did so voluntarily and were released immediately.
Addressing the widely circulated allegations of physical assault, the anti-graft agency expressed “outrage” at the claims but noted a lack of visible evidence. “Even though we have not seen any physical evidence of such brutality in terms of bodily harm or injury to anyone… the Commission as a responsible organisation, has ordered an investigation into the incident,” the EFCC stated. It vowed that any operative found to have breached Standard Operating Procedures would face strict disciplinary action.
The Commission urged the public and the medical community not to allow “fifth columnists” to exploit the “aberration” to undermine the national fight against corruption. While reaffirming its respect for the rights of all Nigerians, the EFCC reassured the UUTH management of its commitment to an amicable resolution of the friction between the two federal institutions.
