Several Nigerian nurses in the United Kingdom (UK) have been issued deportation notices following an ongoing investigation into alleged fraud at a testing centre in Ibadan. Despite awaiting the outcome of their appeals, these nurses have been instructed by the UK Home Office to leave the country as early as next week after their visas were revoked.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), responsible for regulating nursing standards in the UK, is facing criticism for delays in handling the fraud investigations linked to the Nigerian nurses. Campaigners argue that these delays could lead to nurses being deported before their appeals are properly considered.
Peters Omoragbon, executive president of Nurses Across The Borders and president of the Diaspora Nurses Association of Nigeria, accused the NMC of intentionally stalling the appeal hearings. He suggested that by doing so, the council avoids legal battles while allowing the Home Office to revoke visas and remove the nurses from the country.
“That saves them the trouble of trying to prove or litigate. The NMC could be accused of deliberate delay, so that these nurses lose their right of abode in the UK,” Omoragbon told Nursing Times.
The investigation initially implicated nearly 2,000 nurses for allegedly obtaining fraudulent certifications from the Ibadan testing centre. Around 50 affected nurses have taken legal action, arguing that their registrations were unfairly revoked or their applications wrongly denied.
Advocacy groups continue to push for a fair and timely resolution of the cases, urging the NMC to accelerate hearings and prevent unjust deportations.
