Ogun State Investigates Doctor’s Assault on Nursing Student

The Ogun State Government announced on Saturday that it has initiated an extensive inquiry into an alleged physical attack on a nursing student by a physician at the State Hospital in Ijaiye, Abeokuta.

Dr. Tomi Coker, the Commissioner for Health, revealed this information in a statement released by the ministry’s media representative, Mr. Gbadamosi Adegoke.

Coker said, “The National Association of Nigerian Student Nurses and Midwives had made a formal report of the alleged assault on September 30, 2024. And upon receiving the report, the government has promptly initiated an investigation to address the matter through the Civil Service redress process.”

The statement provided reassurance to the public regarding the government’s firm stance against abuse, urging those impacted to remain calm as justice would be administered in a timely manner.

On Thursday, nurses from the State Hospital in Ijaye, Abeokuta, along with colleagues from other areas of the state, gathered to demonstrate against the alleged attack on a final-year nursing student by Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Nurudeen Adekunle.

Reports indicate that Adekunle, an employee of the hospital, slapped the student nurse in the theatre suite on September 24. Despite attempts to seek justice from the government since then, no positive outcome has been achieved.

The protest was spearheaded by Comr. Adejoke Bello, the state Chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives.

The nurses chanting various songs to drive home their grievances were also armed with placards bearing messages such as “End bullying of nurses, “End nurses brutality, bullying of nurses is not acceptable, “Zero tolerance for nurses bullying, “Respect for nurses, Respect for care”, “Justice for nurses, a must” among others.

Speaking with our Correspondent, Bello said, “The peaceful demonstration is to register our dissatisfaction and displeasure over an unethical practice of a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon with Ogun State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, Nurudeen Adekunle who slapped a final year student nurse precisely on September 24.

“This is assault and it is against the public rule service, this should not have happened under whatever circumstances. It is gross misconduct for you to have slapped your subordinate at work. So we are here to say that the entire nurses in Ogun State won’t tolerate this.

“This ordinarily should not have degenerated to this level of protest but we have written to the appropriate quarters since last Monday and given them 48 hours to address this unfortunate incident but we have heard nothing from them, especially the management of this Hospital, they have not called us, so we are left with no choice than to mobilise for this peaceful protest.

“We demand that the culprit, Dr Adekunle Nurudeen must be brought to justice according to the public service rules. We are saying no to harassment and assault of nurses. We have told our nurses to go back to work but we have given the management of the hospital four hours to get back to us in black and white just as we have equally done to register our dissatisfaction over the poor treatment.”

Similarly, the Unit Chairman of NANNM, State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, Comrade Lola Falujo, also condemned the action of Adekunle, saying that it fell below the provisions of the public service rules.

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Falujo said, “We are out to end bullying of nurses, we are saying no to all forms of assault against nurses, we are doing our best in this hospital to care for our patients and move the state and country forward. So we don’t deserve any form of maltreatment.

“We condemn the action of Dr Adekunle who assaulted one of our student nurses and was even threatening him saying that if he heard anything about the incident outside he would ensure that the student won’t graduate.

“We wrote the the management of the hospital and the government since Friday but we have heard nothing, if they have decided to get back to us there may not be the need for this peaceful protest.

“This is unacceptable and we are saying that bullying of nurses must stop. We therefore want the government to activate the state public service rules to handle this matter and ensure that justice is served.”

The Permanent Secretary of the Hospital Management Board, Dr. (Mrs.) Olayinka Elemide, speaking to protesting nurses, informed PUNCH Online that the government is aware of the circumstances and is actively working to resolve the issue.

Elemide said, “The government is aware of this situation and already taking steps to ensure that due process is followed. The doctor and the student nurse are both in the care of the government, so we are on top of the situation.”

The PUNCH