Nurses at Ogun State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, staged a peaceful protest on Thursday despite heavy rain, demanding justice after an alleged assault on a final-year student nurse by a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr. Nurudeen Adekunle.
According to The PUNCH, Adekunle is accused of slapping the student nurse in the hospital’s theatre on September 24. Efforts to seek redress since the incident have reportedly been met with silence from the authorities, prompting the protest, which was led by the state chapter of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives.
The nurses, who were mobilized from across the state, carried placards with messages such as “End bullying of nurses,” “Zero tolerance for nurses bullying,” and “Justice for nurses, a must.” They chanted songs to emphasize their demand for an end to what they called mistreatment of nurses.
Speaking at the protest, the state chairman of NANNM, Adejoke Bello, expressed the group’s frustration over the lack of action from hospital management and government authorities.
“This is assault, and it goes against the public service rules. Under no circumstances should a senior colleague physically assault a subordinate,” Bello stated.
She added that the protest was the last resort after their formal complaints had gone unanswered. “We gave the management 48 hours to address this issue, but nothing has been done. We will not tolerate this kind of misconduct,” Bello said.
In a similar vein, the Unit Chairman of NANNM at the hospital, Lola Idowu Falujo, condemned the doctor’s actions, describing them as a violation of public service regulations.
“We are here to say no to bullying and harassment of nurses. We work hard to care for our patients and deserve respect, not assault,” Falujo said.
Falujo also revealed that Dr. Adekunle had allegedly threatened the student nurse, warning him not to report the incident or risk being prevented from graduating.
The nurses have called on the government to ensure that Adekunle is held accountable for his actions, in accordance with the public service rules. “We expect the government to activate the necessary procedures and bring justice to the victim,” Falujo added.
Responding to the protest, Dr. Olayinka Elemide, Permanent Secretary of the Ogun State Hospital Management Board, assured the nurses that the government was addressing the matter.
“We are aware of the situation and steps are being taken to ensure due process is followed,” Elemide said. She also stressed that both the doctor and the student nurse were under the government’s supervision, and the issue was being handled.
The nurses have temporarily returned to work but have given the hospital management a four-hour deadline to provide a formal response to their demands.
