The Cross River State Police Command has arrested three Egyptian nationals for allegedly assaulting security personnel at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH).
The suspects — Mohammed Ayan, 24; Mohammed Mohammed, 40; and Ahmed Mohammed, 20 — were apprehended on Monday after reportedly attacking a female security officer who confronted them for hawking household items inside the hospital premises, an activity prohibited within the facility.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the incident occurred around midday when the three foreigners gained access to the hospital premises with the intention of selling goods.
A hospital source said the suspects were first cautioned by Christiana Ada Ewa, 34, a member of the hospital’s surveillance unit, who reminded them that hawking was against hospital rules.
“But instead of leaving quietly, one of them, Ayan, pounced on the female officer. It was a shocking sight. She was only doing her job,” the source, who pleaded anonymity, said.
The situation escalated when another security officer, Ethan Ita Ansa, 24, intervened to rescue his colleague.
In the process, his uniform was torn and he sustained an injury on his finger. Ayan himself reportedly suffered bruises to his eyebrow and knees during the scuffle.
Confirming the arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Cross River Command said operatives acted swiftly after receiving a distress call from the hospital.
“The three suspects were apprehended at the scene and are currently in custody. The matter has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation,” the police spokesperson stated.
The assault has since sparked outrage among hospital staff, who described the attack on their colleagues as “an insult to the institution and a dangerous precedent.”
A senior staff member, demanded stricter enforcement of hospital security measures. “It is unacceptable that outsiders would violate our rules and assault our officers.
The hospital management must work with security agencies to prevent a repeat of this,” he said.
Meanwhile, the hospital management has yet to release an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
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