RismadarVoice Reporters
May 15, 2026
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has issued a clarification regarding the recent incident involving operatives of its Uyo Zonal Directorate and staff members of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, insisting that no arrest was made during the operation.
In a statement released following widespread public reactions to the incident, the Commission explained that the presence of its operatives at the hospital on May 12, 2026, was strictly administrative and aimed at authenticating a document, rather than carrying out a tactical operation.
The anti-graft agency stated that contrary to reports circulating in some quarters, hospital staff who accompanied EFCC operatives to the zonal command were neither arrested nor detained.
The Commission also expressed concern over allegations that some members of staff of the hospital were brutalised during the encounter.
According to the EFCC, although no physical evidence of bodily harm or injury had been presented by those involved, including staff members who addressed the media, it had nonetheless ordered a full investigation into the incident.
The agency assured the public that any operative found to have violated the Commission’s Standard Operating Procedures during the incident would face appropriate disciplinary action.
The EFCC further appreciated stakeholders who have intervened in efforts to ensure an amicable resolution of the matter, while describing the May 12 incident as an “aberration.”
The Commission warned against attempts by what it described as “fifth columnists” to exploit the development to undermine Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight.
Reaffirming its commitment to professionalism, the EFCC stressed that it remains dedicated to carrying out its statutory responsibilities while respecting the rights and freedoms of all Nigerians.
