Kwara State Nursing Crisis: NANNM Petitions Governor Over Nurse’s CHEW Victimization

Kwara State Nursing Crisis: NANNM Petitions Governor Over Nurse’s CHEW Victimization

Ilorin, Kwara State – September 15, 2025 –

In a bold escalation of efforts to combat workplace abuse in Nigeria’s primary healthcare sector, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Kwara State Council, has formally petitioned Executive Governor Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, demanding immediate intervention in the alleged victimization of a dedicated registered nurse by Community Health Extension Worker (CHEW) officials.

This development highlights a deepening nursing crisis in Kwara State, where professional hierarchies, unsafe practices, and punitive actions threaten the integrity of rural health services.

The case centers on Nurse Rufus Favour Mojísọla, a newly employed registered nurse stationed as the sole qualified professional at Ekan Primary Health Centre in Oke Ero Local Government Area. In her initial petition to NANNM dated September 12, 2025, Mojísọla detailed a harrowing pattern of harassment, intimidation, and physical assault orchestrated by Mrs. Ayinde Risikat, the CHEW serving as Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the facility.

Among the allegations: being compelled to kneel in her uniform for extended periods, enduring multiple slaps from the OIC and the Head of Department (HOD) of Health, Mrs. Helen Bosede Olawuyi—also a CHEW—and being sidelined from core nursing duties in favor of menial tasks like sweeping and messenger roles.

Mojísọla further exposed grave ethical lapses at the centre, including the administration of incorrect drug dosages, the use of nylon gloves for deliveries, improper birthing techniques, and the recycling of syringes after mere water rinsing—practices she attempted to correct, only to face retaliation.

Despite her isolation in a remote village, with a fellow Community Health Officer transferred without replacement in April, Mojísọla shouldered critical responsibilities in family planning and immunizations. Her efforts were met with public verbal abuse during sessions, including derogatory labels like “lazy and proud” and threats of orchestrated errors leading to patient harm, such as child amputations.

The nurse’s victimization peaked with a query letter listing 11 baseless charges and a transfer to a high-risk area notorious for kidnappings, actions NANNM deems punitive and unjust. In their September 15, 2025, letter to the governor—signed by State Chairman Comr. Aminu Shehu and State Secretary Comr. Markus Luka—NANNM decries Mrs. Risikat’s conduct as an abuse of office, gross negligence, and professional misconduct.

Invoking the Public Service Rules (2008 edition, Sections 030401, 030402 “W,” and 030307), the association asserts that assaulting a colleague constitutes serious misconduct warranting dismissal.

NANNM’s demands are multifaceted and aligned with national standards: an independent investigation into the allegations, disciplinary measures against the implicated officials, and comprehensive reforms to Primary Health Care (PHC) management under the National Health Policy (revised 2024), the Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUOR) initiative, and World Health Organization guidelines.

These reforms emphasize that, in doctor-absent facilities, registered nurses—not CHEWs—should lead operations to ensure patient safety and professional efficacy. Additionally, the association urges the reversal of Mojísọla’s transfer, calling for her redeployment to a secure posting free from intimidation.

This incident underscores a broader Kwara State nursing crisis, amid ongoing tensions in the healthcare workforce, including recent strikes and ultimatums over welfare issues. As frontline workers grapple with resource shortages and inter-professional conflicts, the petition signals a critical juncture for safeguarding nurses’ rights and elevating rural healthcare standards.

Fellow Nurses Africa stands in solidarity with Nurse Mojísọla and NANNM, advocating for swift governmental response to prevent further erosion of trust in Nigeria’s health system. Updates on the governor’s reply and investigation outcomes will be followed closely.

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