The United Kingdom’s Home Office has instructed several Nigerian nurses under investigation for alleged exam fraud to leave the country. According to Nursing Times, these nurses, who are still awaiting the outcomes of their appeals, have had their visas revoked by UK authorities.
The Home Office has reportedly issued letters to the affected individuals, directing them to depart the country starting next week. This deportation order stems from an investigation by the UK’s Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) into suspected irregularities at the Yunnik Technologies Test Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
The NMC launched the probe in 2023 after identifying unusual data patterns in the computer-based test (CBT) results of foreign nurses seeking UK registration. The CBT is a critical step in the UK’s nursing qualification process and is typically taken in applicants’ home countries.
Following its investigation, the NMC determined that 48 registered nurses and 669 applicants may have fraudulently obtained their test results through the Yunnik centre. As a result, the NMC invalidated all test results issued by the centre.
The NMC stated that the cases of the affected individuals would be reviewed by an independent panel to determine whether fraud had been committed. However, in February 2025, approximately 50 of the nurses involved sent a pre-action protocol letter to the NMC, accusing the council of intentionally delaying their hearings. They also urged the NMC to collaborate with the Home Office to allow them to remain in the UK while their appeals were being processed.
The situation has left many of the nurses in limbo, as they face deportation while still contesting the allegations against them.