Outrage in Calabar as Police Detain 3 Nurses Over Missing SIM Card of Deceased Patient at UCTH
Fellow Nurses Africa | May 20, 2025
In a disturbing case that has ignited national outrage, three nurses at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) were arrested and detained by the Nigerian Police Force in Cross River State over allegations linked to a missing SIM card belonging to a deceased patient.
The nurses, simply identified as Joy, Mary, and Deborah, were reportedly attending to patients at the Accident and Emergency ward on Monday when they were taken into custody. The arrest came after a relative of the deceased accused hospital staff of misplacing the patient’s SIM card during the handover of personal belongings.
The patient, who had been found unconscious by a good Samaritan and brought in for emergency care, sadly passed away despite medical efforts. The nurses were allegedly detained without formal charges and held overnight in their uniforms, with their families kept in the dark. One of the nurses’ mothers reportedly cried through the night and lost her voice due to the trauma.
The situation escalated when a legal practitioner allegedly demanded payment before attempting to intervene on their behalf.
Mass Protest and Industrial Action
In response, over 100 nurses staged a mass protest on Tuesday morning, shutting down clinical services at UCTH and marching to the State Police Command to demand the unconditional release of their colleagues.
The protest was backed by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), UCTH Chapter, which also declared an immediate industrial strike action. In an official notice dated May 19, 2025, NANNM condemned the arrests as unjust, inhumane, and a gross violation of the nurses’ rights.
“Nurses are caregivers, not criminals,” the union stated. “This incident is a direct assault on the dignity of our profession and a breach of human rights.”
The union also criticized the hospital management for failing to ensure a safe and respectful work environment.
Nurses Released After Protest
Following the intense pressure and widespread media coverage, the three nurses were released around midday on Tuesday. They were escorted back to the hospital in a bus alongside their protesting colleagues.
The case has raised serious concerns about the treatment of healthcare professionals in Nigeria and the growing trend of police harassment and scapegoating of frontline workers.
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