The nursing community in Nigeria's capital is in mourning and demanding urgent action following the brutal murder of one of their own. The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Federal Capital Territory Council, has issued a strong condemnation of the killing of Nurse Chinemerem Pascalina Chuwumeziem, who worked at the Federal Medical Centre in Abuja.
A Tragic End After a Day of Service
The association expressed profound sorrow and outrage over what it described as the unjust and brutal killing of an innocent young colleague. Nurse Chinemerem Pascalina Chuwumeziem had spent January 3, 2026, rendering what the union called "selfless service to humanity" at the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi. After closing from her duty, she boarded a vehicle to head home but never arrived alive.
Her lifeless body was later discovered, discarded in a manner the NANNM statement characterized as inhumane and heartbreaking. The incident has sent shockwaves through the healthcare community, highlighting the grave dangers faced by medical personnel.
Union Calls for Immediate Security Overhaul
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Jama D. Medan, the council issued a direct appeal to the entire security architecture in the FCT. It specifically called on the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to launch a thorough, transparent, and professional investigation into the circumstances of her death.
The union demanded that the perpetrators be identified and brought to justice without any delay. It emphasized that this attack is not an isolated event but part of a pattern of harassment and violence that has created an alarming level of insecurity for healthcare workers, particularly during their commutes to and from work.
"Our lives are no longer safe," the statement read. "Nurses leave their homes daily to save lives, yet many are uncertain of returning alive to their families."
Demands for Concrete Government Action
The NANNM FCT Council presented specific demands to the government to prevent further tragedies. It urgently called on the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to strengthen security around all hospitals in the FCT and at major junctions where nurses and other healthcare workers board vehicles. This is deemed especially critical for those on early morning and late-night shifts.
Furthermore, the union proposed that, where feasible, the government should provide safe and organized transportation for nurses to and from their places of work. This measure, they argued, is essential to prevent the further loss of innocent lives.
The statement extended heartfelt condolences to the immediate family of the deceased, the management of the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, and nurses across the FCT and Nigeria. It concluded with a firm warning: "We demand justice for our fallen colleague and urgent government intervention to guarantee the safety and security of all nurses and healthcare workers in the Federal Capital Territory. Anything short of decisive action will further expose nurses to danger and erode public confidence in the nation’s security system."
