No fewer than 18 nurses of Nigerian descent are currently facing charges in Texas, United States, after allegations that they used fake educational qualifications. The Texas Board of Nursing posted a statement on its website, obtained by our correspondent on Sunday, confirming that a total of 23 practicing nurses were caught in a large‑scale fraudulent diploma and transcript scheme.
The investigation, dubbed “Operation Nightingale,” is a multi‑state law‑enforcement effort coordinated with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Launched on January 25, 2023, the operation targets individuals who sell false nursing degree diplomas and transcripts. The Nigerians implicated include Abiodun Yetunde Felicia; Adelakun Abiodun Aveez; Adelekan Joseph Adewale; Adeoye Vivien Temitope; Adewale Modinat Abidemi; Afolabi Olufemi Toun; Afolabi Omowunmi F.; Agbo Odumegwu Steve; Ajibade Charlot Omotayo; Akande Olabisi Christiana; Akhigbe Catherine; Akinrolabu Folasade Margaret; Ako Esiri Rachael; Akpan Rosemary Moses; Alimi Bukola A.; Ani Ndirika Justina; Aroh Nchekwube C.; and Ayodeji Sherifat Olubunmi.
The Texas Board of Nursing explained that those involved obtained fraudulent nursing credentials and used them to sit for the national nursing board exam. The board’s statement reads, in part: “The board has filed formal charges against the following nurses for fraudulently obtaining educational credentials. The board is authorized to file formal charges if probable cause exists that the nurse has committed an act listed in Tex. Occ. Code § 301.452(b) or that violates other law (see Tex. Occ. Code § 301.458). Formal charges are publicly available (see Tex. Occ. Code § 301.466(b)). Please note that formal charges are not a final disciplinary action, and a nurse is permitted to work while formal charges are pending.”
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