Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have allegedly fired tear gas to disperse protesters at the Federal Medical Centre in Jabi, Abuja according to Vanguard news report.
The protesters had gathered at the EFCC headquarters in support of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who was being questioned over alleged corruption during his tenure. El-Rufai arrived at the facility accompanied by hundreds of supporters, leading to heightened security and heavy traffic congestion along the Jabi-Airport Road.
Trouble began when operatives moved to disperse the crowd. Shortly after teargas canisters were discharged, fumes drifted towards the nearby Federal Medical Centre, causing distress among vulnerable patients, including pregnant women and children.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of confusion as patients scrambled for safety, hurriedly covering their noses with face masks and cloth to shield themselves from the choking smoke.
A pregnant woman at the hospital for an antenatal visit recounted her ordeal: “Even inside the hospital, everyone was struggling to breathe. My eyes were filled with tears, I was coughing, and it wasn’t just me. We were running into each other in panic. It was not a good experience at all.”
She expressed concern over the proximity of the EFCC headquarters to a major health facility, noting that discharging teargas so close to sick patients posed serious health risks. “It’s not a good option at all, especially in a place where there are sick people, pregnant women and children,” she added.
The incident followed El-Rufai’s earlier resistance to arrest at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport last week, which heightened political tensions surrounding the ongoing investigation.
As of press time, the EFCC had not issued an official statement on the incident or addressed concerns over the impact of the teargas on patients at the medical facility.
