Kwara Nursing Students Flee Bandits, Face Hunger and Despair Amid Exam Preparations
By Fellow Nurses Africa | October 4, 2025 | Ilorin, Nigeria
In a devastating blow to Nigeria’s future healthcare workforce, nursing and midwifery students from the Kwara State College of Nursing Sciences in Oke-Ode have been displaced by violent bandit attacks, leaving them without food, belongings, or stability. As they prepare for critical professional exams in November 2025, these students are fighting to preserve their dreams of becoming nurses amid profound hardship. Fellow Nurses Africa calls for urgent global support to aid these resilient young women and men.
A Community Shattered by Violence
On September 28–29, 2025, Oke-Ode, a rural town in Kwara State’s Ifelodun Local Government Area, was rocked by a brutal bandit assault. At least 12 people, including a respected village head, were killed, and dozens were abducted in a wave of violence that has plagued Nigeria’s north-central region. The Kwara State College of Nursing Sciences, a vital institution training Registered Nurses and midwives, was forced to evacuate its students and staff, who fled in fear for their lives.
The students left behind nearly everything—food, textbooks, clothing, and personal items.
“I escaped with nothing but what I was wearing,” said a final-year nursing student, her voice heavy with emotion. “My study materials, my savings—everything is gone.”
Her story reflects the plight of hundreds of students now grappling with loss and uncertainty.
Exams Under Threat
The timing of the crisis is particularly dire. Many students are final-year candidates preparing for the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria’s licensing exams in November 2025, a pivotal step toward their careers. Without access to study resources, stable accommodation, or adequate nutrition, their ability to prepare is severely compromised. The trauma of witnessing violence and losing their sense of security further complicates their efforts, yet their commitment to serving as healthcare professionals remains steadfast.
Relocation to Ilorin: A Temporary Haven
In response to the attacks, the college swiftly relocated its students and staff to the Institute of Technology, Mini Campus of Kwara State Polytechnic in Ilorin, the state capital, by October 2, 2025. Academic activities have resumed, but the makeshift facilities are overcrowded, and resources are scarce. The lingering fear of further attacks weighs heavily on the students, hindering their focus.
The college’s provost, Alhaji Olanrewaju AbdulQaudri, addressed staff on October 3, expressing hope for a return to Oke-Ode once security is restored. Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq visited the town on October 2, pledging to deploy joint security forces to combat banditry in the region. However, for these students, immediate needs—food, clothing, and shelter—remain unmet, casting a shadow over promises of future stability.
A Growing Humanitarian Crisis
The displacement has created a humanitarian emergency. Stripped of essentials, students are struggling to survive without food or personal belongings. Social media platforms have amplified their plight, with voices like @aluta_nurse pleading for aid:
“Our future nurses are starving after fleeing Oke-Ode. They need urgent support”.
Another post by @dagbananurse highlighted the students’ emotional toll, describing their “fear and despair” as they strive to study under such conditions.
The crisis reflects a broader wave of insecurity in Nigeria, where banditry has displaced over 247,000 people in the northwest and north-central regions in 2025 alone. Rural institutions like the Kwara State College of Nursing are particularly vulnerable, threatening the nation’s ability to train healthcare professionals needed to address a critical nursing shortage.
A Call for Global Solidarity
Fellow Nurses Africa stands in solidarity with these students, whose courage in the face of adversity embodies the spirit of nursing. We urge the global healthcare community, philanthropists, and concerned citizens to provide immediate assistance—food, clothing, study materials, and financial support—to help these students rebuild their lives and succeed in their exams.
Contributions can be made through the Kwara State College of Nursing Sciences. Every donation offers a lifeline, enabling these students to continue their journey toward becoming nurses.
A Symbol of Resilience
The students of Oke-Ode are more than victims; they are symbols of determination, studying in challenging conditions while carrying the weight of trauma. Their struggle underscores the urgent need to address Nigeria’s security crisis and protect the institutions shaping its healthcare future. As they battle hunger and despair to achieve their dreams, they exemplify the compassion and strength that define the nursing profession.
Fellow Nurses Africa is the independent voice of African nursing, we educate, inform and support nurses across Africa
