Lagos seals Ikorodu health college, arrests director over illegal nursing programme

Lagos has shut down the Tower College of Health Sciences in Gberigbe, Ikorodu, for operating an unaccredited nursing programme.

The closure was enforced on Thursday by a joint team that included officials from the health ministry’s directorate of nursing services (DNS).

Also involved were the Nursing and Midwifery Committee of Lagos State and the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) in Lagos.

They were supported by the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).

During the operation, Femi Ajekigbe, the college director, was arrested and is currently in custody for questioning and further legal action by the state.

Speaking to journalists after the closure, Sola Aketi, the director of nursing services at the Lagos ministry of health, stated that the institution had been previously notified of the imminent shutdown.

She said an inspection team from the state’s nursing and midwifery committee had visited the school on January 20 and uncovered several irregularities.

Aketi said the team reported that the college failed to meet basic academic and infrastructural requirements for nursing education and, as a result, lacked accreditation from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN).

“As a result of this closure, the illegal institution will cease all nursing training and educational activities with immediate effect,” Aketi said.

“We have several of these schools across the state, and we will not stop until they are all shut down.”

Aketi confirmed that Tower College is one of many unaccredited institutions operating in Lagos.

She stated that the clampdown would be extended to other illegal nursing schools, as Lagos would no longer condone “dangerous death traps.”

Oladapo Olawale, a doctor who led an initial inspection of the college, had advised the immediate closure of the school.

His report noted that the college “had no demonstration room, no hospital affiliation for clinical postings, and no hostel accommodation for students.”

He expressed surprise that some of the students at the college were shockingly already in their 300-level courses without undergoing any clinical training and resource verification from the nursing council.

The inspection committee had recommended the immediate closure of the school, withdrawal of all students, and withdrawal of the licenses of individuals parading themselves as nursing tutors without approval.

Following this report, the nursing and midwifery committee of the state and the Lagos ministry of health issued a formal closure notice.

The letter, dated, cited the school’s failure to meet the minimum standards for accreditation, non-compliance with repeated warnings, and evidence of substandard training as reasons for the decision.

It noted that these issues posed risks to the health, safety, and well-being of students and the public.

The premises have been sealed and placed under surveillance to prevent any further unauthorised operation.