Sule Orders Dismissal, Prosecution of Hospital Staff Over Alleged Sale of Donated Items

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has ordered the immediate dismissal and prosecution of staff of Umaisha General Hospital in Toto Local Government Area over the alleged sale of medical equipment and other materials donated to the facility.

Sule issued the directive on Wednesday while speaking at the commissioning of heavy-duty equipment procured under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) programme in Lafia, the state capital.

The governor’s action followed allegations that some hospital staff sold items donated to the facility by Sa’ad Abdullahi, a member of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly representing Umaisha/Ugya Constituency.

The allegation came to light after a video circulated on social media showing the lawmaker confronting the hospital management over the whereabouts of the materials he had donated.

Abdullahi had said he provided 50 fans, 50 orthopaedic mattresses and other items to improve the welfare of patients and support healthcare delivery at the hospital.

During his visit, the lawmaker demanded an explanation from the management over the alleged disposal or sale of the donated materials, prompting the state government to order an investigation.

Sule subsequently directed the Commissioner for Health to establish what happened to the items and ensure that any staff found culpable are dismissed and prosecuted.

“I have already asked the Honourable Commissioner for Health to investigate, to dismiss and fire the hell out of them, and after that, to prosecute them,” the governor said.

He said dismissal alone would not be enough if the allegations were established, stressing that those responsible should face legal consequences for allegedly depriving patients of materials intended for their welfare.

“Firing them to go free will not give us peace of mind until we prosecute them for this inhuman attitude of theirs. We cannot tolerate that,” Sule said.

The governor also directed the Head of Service and the Chairman of the State Civil Service Commission to ensure that any officials found culpable are subjected to appropriate disciplinary and legal action.

He described the alleged sale of items meant for patients as particularly disturbing, noting that such conduct could undermine healthcare delivery and defeat the purpose of donations to public hospitals.

Sule further stressed that public servants must combine professional competence with integrity and a sense of responsibility.

“Competence alone is not enough in public service. We need honesty and patriotism, especially in the health sector,” he said.

The incident has renewed concerns over the supervision of government-owned health facilities and the need for stronger mechanisms to track donated equipment and materials from the point of delivery to their use.

The outcome of the investigation is expected to determine whether the allegations against the hospital staff are substantiated and the extent of any disciplinary or criminal action.