The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has denied assaulting health workers at the Uyo University Teaching Hospital or arresting them, even as it said it is set to probe the incident. In a fresh statement on Friday, the anti-graft agency’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, maintained that the……
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has denied assaulting health workers at the Uyo University Teaching Hospital or arresting them, even as it said it is set to probe the incident.
In a fresh statement on Friday, the anti-graft agency’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, maintained that the presence of its operatives at the teaching hospital was merely administrative.
TVC News Online reports that the Nigerian Medical Association in Akwa Ibom State had commenced an indefinite strike following the alleged assault, arrest and detention of medical personnel at UUTH by operatives of the EFCC. The NMA said the presence of the operatives triggered panic within the hospital premises.
However, the EFCC, while providing further clarification concerning the episode, said its operatives from the Uyo Zonal Directorate went to the hospital for purely administrative reasons “to facilitate the authentication of a document, rather than a tactical operation to effect arrest.”
“Contrary to the information making the rounds, no arrests were made, and the staff of the hospital who followed our operatives to the Zonal Command were not detained.
“The Commission is outraged by the allegations of brutalisation of staff of the hospital. Even though we have not seen any physical evidence of such brutality in terms of bodily harm or injury to anyone, including the staff members who addressed the media on this issue, the Commission, as a responsible organisation, has ordered an investigation into the incident. While awaiting the outcome of this inquiry, any staff of the Commission found to have deviated from the Standard Operating Procedure of the Agency will not be spared.”
The EFCC went on to acknowledge stakeholders who have shown concern over the amicable resolution of the issue and, once again, reassured the public, including medical staff of the UUTH, that the May 12 incident was an aberration and should not be exploited by “fifth columnists” to undermine the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
“The EFCC recognises the rights of every Nigerian and will continue to pursue its mandate without distraction or encroachment on the inalienable rights of anyone,” the commission concluded.
