Nnena Miriam, a Nigerian nurse based in Leeds, United Kingdom, has been found dead in her apartment days after returning from Nigeria, where she had celebrated her introduction ceremony ahead of her traditional marriage.
Her body was discovered earlier this week by UK police after a concerned friend, unable to reach her since Sunday, filed a missing person report.
She was last seen after completing a hospital shift, according to Fellow Nurses Africa, an organisation supporting African healthcare professionals.
“It is with heavy hearts and deep sorrow that we report the sudden passing of one of our own, Nnena Miriam, a dedicated and professional nurse based in Leeds, United Kingdom,” the organisation said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Miriam had travelled to Nigeria for her introduction ceremony, a cultural milestone typically marking the formal engagement between two families.
She returned to the UK shortly afterward and resumed work before her sudden disappearance.
“Alarm bells were raised when her close friend tried reaching out to her repeatedly from that Sunday without success,” the statement read.
“Growing increasingly worried, the friend filed a missing person report — only for the police to later discover her lifeless body in her apartment.
“Tuesday, April 29, was meant to be her special day, a day of joy, celebration, and new beginnings,” the statement continued.
“Instead, her sudden death has left colleagues and loved ones overwhelmed with unspeakable grief and unanswered questions.”
No cause of death has been officially confirmed as investigations continue.
Miriam’s death follows a similar incident in March involving another Nigerian caregiver in the UK, Chidimma Ezenyili, who died two days after collapsing on duty.
