The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) of the United Kingdom is investigating 1,955 Nigerian nurses and midwives implicated in an exam fraud scandal. This follows irregularities detected at the Yunnik Technologies Test Centre in Ibadan, Nigeria.

The NMC identified four groups among the affected individuals:

1. Registered Nurses with Fraudulent Results: 48 nurses whose computer-based test (CBT) completion times suggest fraud.

2. Applicants with Fraudulent Results: 669 prospective registrants with suspicious CBT results.

3. Invalidated Results Without Proven Fraud: 467 registered nurses whose CBTs were invalidated due to improbable completion times, though fraud wasn’t conclusively proven.

4. Invalidated Results Without Sufficient Evidence: 771 applicants with invalidated CBTs lacking sufficient evidence of fraud.

The NMC has offered all affected individuals the opportunity to retake the CBT, with exam fees covered by the test provider, Pearson VUE. However, retaking the test doesn’t guarantee retention or admission to the register. The UK Home Office has revoked visas of some implicated nurses, pending appeal outcomes.

This investigation has drawn attention from student organizations, which have accused the police of possible complicity due to perceived delays in the probe. They are calling for a thorough and transparent inquiry to ensure justice for the affected nurses.