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From Isaac Job, Uyo
Akwa Ibom State Chapter of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has demanded a public apology from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over what it described as physical, emotional, professional, and institutional damages caused to members of the association.
The NMA also threatened a N1 billion lawsuit for damages against the anti-graft agency.
Operatives of the EFCC reportedly assaulted Ekpe, a professor of Cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, while the NMA chairman, Professor Aniekan Peter, was tear gassed.
These were captured in a 10-point communique read to journalists by the NMA at the end of its emergency virtual meeting held in Uyo.
The EFCC operatives were said to have invaded the hospital in the course of authenticating a medical report presented by a suspect standing trial in court and subsequently arrested Prof. Ekpe, dispensed teargas on the NMA chairman, as well as humiliated other staff members of the hospital.
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It was also gathered that when the anti graft officials accosted the professor, he told them that the office was already processing their request to authenticate the said medical report.
Addressing a press conference at Doctors’ Mess, Udo Udoma Avenue Uyo, the NMA chairman represented by Asst Secretary, Dr. Unyime- Ndoh, said it was a slap on the integrity of the NMA as a body to allow anyone assault their members, not to talk of a professor, who was only carrying out his lawful duties of saving lives and imparting knowledge.
In a communiqué the NMA expressed dismay that there has been a recurring pattern of harassment and assault of medical professionals and members of the association by security agencies within the state, adding that the union would no longer condone such acts.
The NMA observed that there was no formal invitation extended to Prof. Ekpe or the leadership of the NMA before the incident and described the act as barbaric, degrading, inhuman, and a gross violation of the sanctity of the hospital environment, thereby putting staff and patients at risk and undermining the dignity of the medical profession.
The NMA therefore demanded a public apology from the EFCC within 24 hours or face a N1 billion lawsuit for damages.
