EFCC Grills Philip Ugbodaga Over Alleged ₦43m Furniture Contract Scam

EFCC has grilled National Orthopaedic Hospital Benin MD, Philip Ugbodaga over alleged ₦43m Furniture Contract Scam.

NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has interrogated the pioneer Medical Director of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Benin, Dr. Philip Ugbodaga, over an alleged ₦43 million furniture contract awarded to an Abuja-based company.

Ugbodaga, appointed in 2024, was summoned by the anti-graft agency following an official invitation signed by ACE I Ibeleman Bristol, Head of Investigations at the EFCC Benin Zonal Command. The letter, dated October 31, 2025, and titled Investigation Activities, stated that the probe was initiated in line with Section 38 (1) & (2) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004.

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In the correspondence, the EFCC requested several documents from the Medical Director, including the hospital’s nominal roll, payroll records of permanent, temporary, contract, and casual staff, and comprehensive details of all contracts executed from 2023 to date. The Commission sought information on the status of each project, contractors involved, amounts paid, and corresponding account details.

The investigation reportedly followed a petition filed by aggrieved workers accusing the hospital’s management of suspending their salaries without justification. The workers alleged that Ugbodaga had been running the institution like a private establishment, contrary to Public Service Rules, despite his pledge to implement the federal government’s reform mandate.

They also claimed that Ugbodaga began recruiting staff in December 2024, months before receiving official approval from the Federal Ministry of Health in July 2025. Tensions escalated in August 2025 when he allegedly halted the salaries of 20 employees without issuing queries or providing any explanation.

In addition to the salary disputes, the EFCC is investigating the appointment of Ugbodaga’s Personal Assistant, Adedeji Bode Segun, who is alleged to be holding two federal government positions at the same time.

One staff member, who spoke anonymously, lamented the poor working conditions at the hospital, alleging that employees were forced to sit on bare floors, mats, wrappers, and even patients’ beds due to a lack of adequate furniture, while others relied on old items inherited from previous administrations.