The UK Home Office has revoked the visas of Nigerian nurses under investigation for alleged examination fraud, ordering them to leave the country despite pending appeals.

A probe by the UK’s Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) uncovered suspected malpractice at a test center in Ibadan, Nigeria, where 48 registered nurses and 669 applicants may have fraudulently obtained test results.

The NMC invalidated all test results from the center and launched independent panel hearings to assess individual cases. However, affected nurses claim their hearings were deliberately delayed.

The Home Office has sent letters directing the nurses to leave the UK, sparking concerns about their futures and the impact on the UK’s healthcare system.