A heated dispute over unlicensed nursing practice has escalated into a potential legal battle between TikTok health advocate “Nurse_Girma” (Mr. Girma Nasir) and Raymond Uche, host and producer of the “TooHealthTalk” podcast.
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The controversy centers on a podcast episode that featured a guest identifying herself as an “auxiliary nurse,” a designation that lawyers and nursing professionals say does not exist under Nigerian law.
Mr. Girma Nasir, represented by Dapo Akintomowo & Co. (Solicitors, Advocates & Legal Consultants), has received a formal legal demand from Oluyemi A. Ogunleye Attorneys on behalf of Raymond Uche, dated February 10, 2026.
According to the letter signed by O. Akinkuehinmi Esq., the dispute arose after Uche’s podcast featured an episode addressing “auxiliary nursing” in Nigeria. Prior to Girma’s public response, Uche was privately contacted by multiple licensed nursing professionals registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, who expressed grave concerns that the podcast episode misrepresented the legal position, trivialized professional standards, and presented unlawful practice in a favorable light.
Uche was politely requested to either take down the episode or issue a correction. He declined.
The solicitors’ letter makes clear that “auxiliary nursing” has no legal recognition in Nigeria. As reported by Punch Newspaper on October 1, 2023, legal experts, nursing and medical professionals have consistently stated that auxiliary nurses have no place within Nigeria’s healthcare system and laws.
The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) was quoted as clarifying that “the term ‘Auxiliary Nurse’ has no place within Nigeria’s healthcare system or its laws. An individual is either a qualified nurse or an unqualified individual performing tasks beyond their competence.” The association stated unequivocally that “A nurse or midwife is either registered by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, or the person is a quack.”
Furthermore, Section 21 of the Nursing and Midwifery (Registration, Etc.) Act provides that “It shall be an offence for any person without the approval of the Minister, given on the recommendation of the Council, to train or purport to train any person as a nurse or midwife…”
The Act criminalizes unauthorized training and, by necessary implication, unauthorized practice. There is no statutory category known as “auxiliary nurse” recognized under Nigerian law.
The legal letter states that in the podcast episode, the guest was repeatedly addressed and presented as a “nurse” despite not being registered or licensed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria. The solicitors argue that the use of the protected professional title “nurse” in this context goes beyond casual description and enters the realm of misrepresentation and impersonation, which the law expressly seeks to prevent in order to protect the public.
The letter further alleges that the platform allowed statements suggesting that auxiliary nurses “fill loopholes left by registered nurses” and that “they are necessary because hospitals allegedly cannot afford qualified nurses.” The solicitors contend that such assertions do more than narrate personal experience—they normalize and justify an unlawful practice and risk misleading members of the public into believing that unlicensed nursing is acceptable, necessary, or endorsed.
In their response, Girma’s legal team maintains that their client’s public commentary was neither reckless nor malicious, but rather a measured response issued in the interest of public health education after private warnings were ignored.
The solicitors argue that Girma did not publish any false statement of fact concerning Uche. They state that his comments were directed at the conduct being promoted and the illegality of the practice being platformed, not at Uche’s personal life or moral character. Any reference to alleged criminality was expressly tied to unlicensed nursing practice and the promotion thereof, conduct which the law itself treats as unlawful.
The letter emphasizes that defamation law in Nigeria does not exist to immunize public platforms from criticism where matters of public health, legality, and patient safety are concerned. “Public sensitization on unlawful medical practices does not become defamatory merely because it is uncomfortable or commercially inconvenient,” the solicitors wrote.
In response to Uche’s demand for a takedown and apology, Girma’s legal team states that the demand is misconceived. Instead, they formally call on Uche to immediately take down the episode in question, as it promotes and legitimizes an illegal and unregulated practice, misuses a professional title, and poses a continuing risk of public misinformation.
The letter concludes by stating that without any admission of liability whatsoever, their client remains professional and solution-oriented, and expresses confidence that should the matter proceed to court, “the courts will readily distinguish between defamation and responsible public-interest advocacy, particularly where prior warnings were issued and deliberately disregarded.”
This case highlights the growing tension between social media health advocacy and traditional media platforms, particularly concerning the promotion of unregulated healthcare practices. It also raises important questions about the use of protected professional titles and the responsibilities of content creators in the health and wellness space.
Girma’s Solicitors Demand Takedown Of Uche’s TikTok EpisodeTheNigerialawyer notes that the outcome of the dispute could have significant implications for how health-related content is regulated on digital platforms in Nigeria, as well as the extent to which advocates can publicly criticize practices they consider harmful to public health.
As of this report, no court proceedings have been filed, and both parties appear to be in the pre-litigation phase of the dispute.
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