Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has ordered an immediate investigation into allegations that medical equipment donated to the General Hospital in Umaisha was diverted and sold, directing that any staff found culpable should be dismissed and prosecuted.
The governor gave the directive on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, during the inauguration of newly appointed commissioners and other government officials at the Government House in Lafia.
The controversy followed allegations raised by Ibrahim Sa’ad, the member representing Umaisha/Ugya Constituency in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly. Sa’ad had raised concerns over the disappearance of equipment he donated to the health facility, including orthopaedic mattresses, ceiling fans and standing fans.
According to reports, the lawmaker purchased the items with his personal funds after becoming concerned about the condition of the hospital and the welfare of patients and health workers using the facility.
The allegations subsequently generated public attention after a video in which Sa’ad raised the issue circulated widely on social media.
Reacting to the development, Governor Sule described the alleged sale or diversion of equipment meant to improve healthcare delivery as unacceptable and a serious act of misconduct.
He directed the Commissioner for Health to investigate the circumstances surrounding the missing equipment and identify those responsible.
The governor went further, ordering that anyone established to have participated in the alleged diversion should not only lose their job but also face criminal prosecution.
Sule argued that merely dismissing officials found guilty would not be sufficient, stressing the need for prosecution as a deterrent to others who might contemplate misappropriating items intended for patients and vulnerable members of the public.
The governor’s reaction underscores the sensitivity of the allegation, particularly because the items were reportedly donated specifically to improve conditions at a public health facility.
Public hospitals across Nigeria frequently face shortages of beds, medical equipment, drugs and other basic necessities. In such circumstances, the diversion or misuse of donated equipment can directly affect patients who depend on already limited healthcare services.
However, the allegations have not yet been established through the investigation ordered by the governor. The directive means the relevant authorities must now determine what happened to the donated items, whether they were actually sold or diverted, who authorised their movement and whether any staff members were involved.
Sa’ad has meanwhile clarified that his intervention was not intended to discredit the Nasarawa State Ministry of Health or ridicule officials associated with the facility.
The lawmaker said the equipment had been donated more than two years ago and kept in the hospital store, while some of the items were reportedly being used in hospital quarters by staff posted to the facility. He expressed optimism that the matter had been addressed following intervention by the Ministry of Health and the Hospital Management Board.
The clarification introduces another dimension to the controversy, as the investigation will have to establish whether the missing items were genuinely stolen or sold, or whether there was a misunderstanding concerning their storage and use.
For the state government, however, the issue has become a matter of accountability.
The governor’s decision to demand both dismissal and prosecution, if wrongdoing is established, signals an attempt to send a strong message against the misuse of public and donated resources within the state’s health sector.
The investigation is now expected to provide answers to several outstanding questions, including the whereabouts of the donated equipment, the circumstances under which some items allegedly disappeared from the hospital store and whether any financial transactions were involved.
The outcome could also determine whether disciplinary and criminal proceedings will be initiated against any hospital staff.
For residents of Umaisha, the controversy goes beyond the ownership of mattresses and fans. It raises broader concerns about the management of resources intended to improve healthcare delivery in rural communities.
As the Nasarawa Government awaits the report of the Health Ministry’s investigation, attention will now focus on whether the allegations are substantiated and whether those found responsible will face the sanctions promised by Governor Sule.
