The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched an internal investigation following a high-handed raid at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) in Akwa Ibom State.
On May 12, armed anti-graft operatives allegedly stormed the medical facility, resulting in the assault of Professor Eyo Ekpe, the Deputy Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, alongside four other staff members.
In response to the growing public outrage, EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, has vowed that any agent found guilty of violating professional boundaries will face severe disciplinary action.
The confrontation has triggered widespread condemnation from both the medical community and the general public, prompting an immediate damage-control response from the agency’s leadership.
Following a preliminary review of the incident, Olukoyede ordered an official apology to be issued to the hospital and the public.
In a statement released Monday via the commission’s official X handle, the EFCC boss expressed deep regret, openly admitting that the aggressive conduct of the operatives fell far short of the agency’s expected behavioral values.
“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 official statement read.
Olukoyede reaffirmed his commitment to institutional accountability, emphasizing that a full-scale internal probe is already underway.
He assured stakeholders that the EFCC will not shield rogue elements within its ranks, promising swift consequences for any officer who operated outside the established code of conduct.
Furthermore, the chairman pledged that the agency will collaborate with relevant oversight bodies to implement stricter operational guidelines, aiming to prevent such aggressive lapses from happening again.
Despite the severe backlash and the distraction of the unfolding controversy, the EFCC leadership maintains that its broader anti-corruption mission remains uncompromised.
Olukoyede emphasized that while the agency will correct its internal missteps, it remains completely undeterred by the fallout.
Moving forward, the commission intends to aggressively pursue its primary mandate of investigating and eliminating economic and financial crimes throughout Nigeria.
