The EFCC has broken its silence on Tuesday regarding a contentious visit to University of Uyo Teaching Hospital last week. Officials say operatives from the Uyo Zonal office went there to verify medical documents in an ongoing fraud probe.
A suspect currently on trial before Justice M.A. Onyetunu submitted a medical report requiring authentication.
This person faces charges of defrauding multiple microfinance banks, the EFCC disclosed in its statement.
According to the anti-graft agency, it had sent two official letters requesting hospital verification. One was dated March 11 and another on April 20, 2026, but neither received a response.
When no replies came through, an investigating officer decided to visit in person. That visit, the EFCC noted, was their "last resort" after weeks of waiting.
What happened next sparked controversy. The EFCC alleges hospital staff attacked its operatives with stones and dangerous objects during the Tuesday visit.
In its account, the commission said operatives were "locked in with a false alarm." Staff allegedly pelted them with objects in what the EFCC described as an unprovoked assault.
Hospital management compounded matters by ordering gates shut. This prevented the EFCC team from leaving the premises, officials claimed in their statement.
Nigeria Police Force eventually intervened in the standoff. Police advised hospital authorities to reopen gates and allow the agents safe passage, according to the EFCC's version of events.
Hospital leadership allegedly refused the police request. No immediate statement came from the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital on these allegations as of Tuesday evening.
The EFCC insists its officers behaved with professionalism throughout. "There was no breakdown of law and order," the statement emphasized, noting operatives exercised restraint.
Despite the confrontation, the commission maintained hospital operations continued undisturbed. Its team left the facility without disrupting services, officials noted.
The EFCC warned hospitals and other institutions about obstructing investigations. Refusal to cooperate with lawful requests could constitute obstruction of justice with serious legal ramifications, the agency cautioned.
