A number of Nigerian nurses in the United Kingdom are at risk of deportation following an investigation into suspected fraud at a testing center in Ibadan.
Despite awaiting the results of their appeals, many have been issued deportation notices after the UK Home Office revoked their visas based on concerns raised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
The NMC, which regulates nursing standards in the UK, has come under scrutiny for allegedly delaying the resolution of these cases, a move critics say is putting the affected nurses at an unfair disadvantage.
Peters Omoragbon, president of Nurses Across The Borders and the Diaspora Nurses Association of Nigeria, has accused the NMC of intentionally stalling the appeal process.
He suggested that the delays may be a tactic to make it easier to strip the nurses of their residency rights without engaging in legal battles.
“The NMC could be seen as deliberately prolonging the process to ensure these nurses lose their right to remain in the UK,” Omoragbon told Nursing Times.
The fraud allegations stem from a 2023 investigation into Yunnik Technologies Test Centre in Ibadan, where officials suspected proxy testing—meaning some candidates may not have personally taken their computer-based test (CBT). The probe identified 48 registered nurses and 669 applicants who may have been involved.
In response, the NMC required those implicated to retake the CBT while reviewing cases through its internal investigative process. As of now, 10 of the 48 accused nurses have been removed from the register, while two were cleared. Of the 200 applications reviewed, 191 were denied due to concerns over integrity, while only nine were approved after providing satisfactory explanations. Another 17 applications remain under review.
Amid the deportation threats, around 50 affected nurses have taken legal action, arguing that their registrations were unfairly revoked or denied. Many have lost their jobs and seen their visas canceled while waiting for a resolution.
Some of the nurses have formally challenged the NMC, demanding that the regulator intervene with the Home Office to halt the deportations and re-evaluate their deregistration cases.
The NMC missed a deadline to respond to these demands, leading the nurses to escalate legal proceedings.
As investigations continue, the affected nurses remain locked in a battle for fairness, seeking clarity on both their immigration status and professional future in the UK.