A consultant orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Nurudeen Adekunle has denied slapping a male nursing student at the State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta.

Adekunle said he only asked the student to leave the operating theatre for behaving rudely.

BEYOND AFRICA reported that the incident, which occurred on September 24, resulted in a protest by nurses led by the state chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Adejoke Bello.

The nurses alleged that Adekunle assaulted the 21-year-old student nurse and even threatened to make him not graduate if the incident was heard outside.

However, Adekunle, on Wednesday denied any physical aggression, maintaining that his interaction with the student was purely disciplinary.

Recounting the events, he said, “On my operation day, I was preparing to operate on three patients, and I took the opportunity to teach the students present, both medical and nursing.

“During this, a young male nursing student behaved rudely, although he later claimed it was a joke. I corrected him, emphasizing the importance of respecting senior practitioners, especially in matters beyond his experience.

“My hand was on his shoulder as I asked him to leave the theatre, but I released him shortly afterwards. Four days later, I started hearing rumours that I had slapped him, which is simply untrue.

“The individual I had an issue with is a 21-year-old male nursing student, whom I felt I could correct when he made a mistake, but I did not slap him.

“When the incident occurred, the hospital’s Chief Medical Director (CMD) conducted an investigation and found that no one corroborated the allegations.”

Dr. Luqman Ogunjimi, Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) in Ogun State, supported Adekunle’s account and said the allegations were exaggerated.

“There was no physical altercation; it was a shoulder tap that has been blown out of proportion,” Ogunjimi said.