Nursing students at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) have taken to the streets in protest following the controversial arrest of three of their fellow nursing colleagues. The trio has been accused of allegedly stealing the SIM card belonging to a deceased patient, an allegation that has sparked outrage and unrest within the university community.
The unfolding situation was brought to public attention through a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) by user @ChuksEricE, who posted two videos capturing the protest as it happened within the UNICAL campus. The videos show nursing students visibly demonstrating, blocking key access points to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital as part of their demand for justice and fair treatment for their detained colleagues.
In the caption accompanying the post, it was explained that the protest was a direct response to the police’s action of arresting and detaining the three nurses. The nurses were accused of allegedly stealing the SIM card of a deceased patient, which the students and their supporters vehemently contest.
The exact caption reads: “Nurses at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital have blocked all entrances to the facility in an ongoing protest following the arrest and detention of three of their colleagues by the police, who are accused of allegedly stealing the SIM card of a deceased patient.”
As the situation develops, the police authorities have yet to release any official statement either confirming or denying the allegations made against the arrested nurses. This lack of official communication has only added to the tension and speculation surrounding the incident.
The news of the protest and the allegations against the nurses quickly spread across social media platforms, provoking a wide range of reactions from the public. Many users flooded the comment sections of posts relating to the incident, expressing their views, frustrations, and concerns about the state of affairs.
Below are some of the reactions shared online:
@30BGPLAYBOY: “Omo I think it’s time to license gun for this country ooh because this police people done too do 😡😡😡make everybody day collect from both side.”
@Dozzy_Dozzy22: “Everywhere you look at this country, na Chaos. No government!”
@VivianRora: “What is happening today?”
WATCH VIDEO:
Nurses at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital have blocked all entrances to the facility in an ongoing protest follows the arrest and detention of three of their colleagues by the police, who are accused of allegedly stealing the SIM card of a deceased patient. pic.twitter.com/PioLI3JrUu
— CHUKS 🍥 (@ChuksEricE) May 20, 2025