Chaos erupted at the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja, yesterday when teargas allegedly fired by EFCC operatives to disperse pro and anti-El-Rufai protesters drifted into the hospital, leaving patients and caregivers struggling to breathe.
Protesters had gathered outside the EFCC headquarters in Jabi in support of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, who was invited for questioning over alleged corruption linked to his tenure. El-Rufai reportedly arrived with hundreds of supporters earlier in the day, prompting a heavy security presence and severe traffic congestion along the Jabi-Airport Road corridor.
The situation escalated when EFCC operatives discharged teargas to disperse the crowd, causing fumes to waft into the nearby hospital. Vulnerable patients, including pregnant women and children, were immediately affected. Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic, with people scrambling for safety, covering their faces with masks and cloths to avoid the choking smoke.
One pregnant patient recounted her ordeal during an antenatal visit:
“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 criticized the proximity of the anti-graft agency to a major health facility, highlighting the serious health risks posed by such actions near sick patients.
This incident comes in the wake of heightened political tensions surrounding El-Rufai, who had previously resisted arrest at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport last weekend. At press time, the EFCC had yet to issue an official statement on the hospital teargas incident.
