The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives Federal Health Institutions Sector on Tuesday expressed heartbreak over the killing of Nurse Chinemerem Chukwumeziem of the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja.
In a statement to the News Agency of Nigeria, National Secretary Enya Osinachi condemned the murder and called for urgent measures to protect nurses amid rising insecurity nationwide.
Osinachi said the nurse had completed her afternoon shift, cared devotedly for patients, boarded public transport home, but never arrived, becoming a victim of violent crime days into the new year.
“The deceased nurse, having spent her day rendering selfless service to humanity and saving lives, closed from afternoon duty on 3rd January 2026 and boarded a vehicle on her way home.
“Tragically, she never made it home alive. Her lifeless body was later discovered, dumped in a most inhumane and heartbreaking manner.
“This wicked and senseless act is not only an attack on the nursing profession but also an assault on healthcare workers and humanity at large,” the statement read.
The secretary described the killing as evidence of worsening insecurity threatening healthcare workers, particularly nurses who endure long shifts and unsafe commutes in many Nigerian cities.
NANNM FHI condemned the act, expressed solidarity with the victim’s family and colleagues, and said sympathy alone was insufficient without concrete government measures guaranteeing nurses’ safety in hospitals, clinics, and communities.
The association urged authorities to investigate the killing thoroughly, arrest the perpetrators, improve security around hospitals and commuting routes, provide staff transport, and recognise nurses as high-risk essential workers through policy reforms, funding, and enforcement.
“We hereby call on the entire security architecture in the Federal Capital Territory—including the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)—to immediately conduct a thorough, transparent, and professional investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death and ensure that the perpetrators are identified and brought to justice without delay,” the statement added.
NANNM FHI also called for better hazard allowances, life insurance, welfare support for families, and regular security risk assessments to prevent further loss of nurses’ lives nationwide.
Osinachi stressed that nurses are essential caregivers and breadwinners, noting that the nation loses patients, morale, and public trust when they are killed, and urged decisive action to ensure the tragedy becomes a turning point.
(NAN)
