The Lagos State Government has sealed Tower College of Health, Science, and Management in Gberigbe, Ikorodu, and arrested its proprietor, Femi Adeigbe, following revelations that the school had been admitting and training students in 24 unaccredited courses.
The action followed a Saturday PUNCH investigative report that exposed how some private polytechnics in Nigeria had been collaborating with foreign universities to sneak unqualified graduates into the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. Tower College was identified as one of the institutions allegedly involved in such activities.
According to official sources, the school was shut down on Thursday by a combined enforcement team comprising officials from the Lagos State Ministry of Health’s Directorate of Nursing Services (DNS), the Nursing and Midwifery Committee of Lagos State, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), and operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).
A source confirmed the development to Saturday PUNCH, saying, “The school has been locked because it is not accredited. The founder has also been arrested. There are no students or staff on the premises at the moment. They have all fled. The authorities came and locked the entire school.
School Shut, Owner Detained
Confirming the enforcement, Sola Aketi, the Director of Nursing Services, said that the college had been operating illegally and had previously been warned by the authorities to stop its activities.
“As a result of this closure, the illegal institution will cease all nursing training and educational activities with immediate effect. We have several of these schools across the state, and we will not stop until they are all shut down,” Aketi said
She added that Tower College was among several unapproved institutions in Lagos offering fake health-related training programs, stressing that the government would continue to sanitise the nursing and health education system.
Adeigbe was reportedly detained for questioning and may face prosecution over the unapproved operations of the college.
Government, JAMB, and Security Agencies Launch Investigation
In a related development, the Lagos State Ministry of Education has set up a committee to investigate the activities of the college and determine the extent of its illegal operations.
Similarly, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) confirmed that it had initiated an internal review of the matter. JAMB’s spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said the board was working with relevant agencies to get to the root of the issue.
He stated, “We don’t want to disclose what we are doing now because it may jeopardise our efforts. Certainly, we are taking action.”
A government official also confirmed that security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), were involved in the investigation. “We have located the school and are working discreetly. The findings have been sent to the headquarters, and the Ministry of Education’s Quality Assurance Department has taken over the case,” the source said.
The official expressed concern over the increasing number of illegal tertiary institutions across the country, noting that many unsuspecting students were being exploited. “The government will continue to identify and shut down such schools to protect students and maintain the credibility of the education system,” the source added.
Nursing Association Backs Closure
The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) commended the Lagos State Government for its decisive action. Its National President, Haruna Mamman, confirmed that Tower College was not registered under the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), the official regulatory body for nursing education in the country.
“It is the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria that accredits nursing institutions, and I can confirm that this school is not on their list,” Mamman said.
College Scrambles to Edit Website
Following the initial report, Saturday PUNCH observed that Tower College administrators had hastily made several changes to their website.
On November 1, 2025, Adeigbe’s photos were removed from the homepage, and the school’s contact details were altered. The “Admission” page — which had previously listed 24 unapproved courses — was also edited, and some sections were deleted entirely.
The Lagos State Ministry of Education has warned parents and prospective students to always verify the accreditation status of any tertiary institution before applying.
Officials reiterated that the government remains committed to eliminating fake institutions and protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s health education system.