Ogun State Nurses Protest Against Consultant’s Assault on Student Nurse

Nurses at the Ogun State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, staged a protest on Thursday over the alleged assault of a final-year nursing student by Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr. Nurudeen Adekunle. The incident, which reportedly occurred on September 24, sparked outrage after Dr. Adekunle allegedly slapped the student nurse during a theatre procedure.

The nurses, led by Adejoke Bello, the state chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), gathered in the rain, carrying placards with messages such as “End bullying of nurses” and “Justice for nurses, a must.” They called for accountability, stating that no form of harassment would be tolerated in the workplace.

According to Bello, the association had reached out to the government regarding the incident and had given them 48 hours to respond, but no action was taken. This led to the protest, which aimed to bring attention to the mistreatment of nurses. “This is assault,” Bello emphasized, calling for strict adherence to public service regulations.

Lola Idowu Falujo, the Unit Chairman of NANNM at the state hospital, condemned the doctor’s actions and revealed that Dr. Adekunle had allegedly threatened the student nurse’s academic progress if the issue became public. Despite several letters sent to the hospital management and the government, no feedback had been received, further fueling the nurses' grievances.

In response to the protest, Dr. Mrs. Olayinka Elemide, the Permanent Secretary of the Hospital Management Board, assured the demonstrators that the government was aware of the situation and was following due process. She affirmed that appropriate measures were being taken to address the matter.

The protesting nurses, although instructed to return to work, demanded a written response from the hospital management within four hours, reiterating their stance against workplace harassment.