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Gallant soldiers injured in the line of duty have not been happy with the Nigerian Army over tales of abandonemnent and lack of proper medical care while they continue to reel in pain.

One of them, Lance Corporal Itodo David, has accused the military authorities of abandoning him without fulfilling their promises of adequate medical care.

SaharaReporters reported that for over four years, David, who sustained a life-altering spinal cord injury during operations in Abia State on September 4, 2020, has been confined to a hospital bed at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna.

The injury not only left him unable to perform daily activities but also plunged him into immense physical pain and emotional despair.

“They promised to file a bond so they could fly me out of the country for surgery, but since then, nothing has been done,” the bedridden soldier revealed. “I have given up hope.”

David, whose service number is 13NA/69/0484 LCPL, also told SaharaReporters that despite assurances from the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, to ensure adequate medical treatment for injured soldiers, no actions have been taken in his case. He claims to have been ignored, even as his condition continues to deteriorate.

“They only remember us when we are dead,” he remarked, reflecting on the perceived neglect of wounded soldiers while fallen heroes receive honours at annual events, the Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

Before his injury, Lance Corporal David served with distinction for six years in the North East, participating in counter-terrorism operations against insurgents. Now, he awaits buttock surgery and specialized spinal cord treatment, which he says remain inaccessible due to the Nigerian Army’s inaction.

Despite an instruction from Lieutenant General Oluyede during a visit to Jaji to compile the names of injured soldiers for necessary medical attention, David claims no progress has been made.

SaharaReporters noted that efforts to reach the Army’s spokesperson, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, yielded no response.

“Why are they neglecting gallant officers who have defended the sovereignty of this country? Are they waiting for us to die before they remember us?”, David lamented.

Appealing to the Nigerian government and the public for assistance, he pleaded: “I have served this country to the best of my ability, but instead of reaping the fruits of my labour, I am left to suffer. Please help me. I don’t want to die like this.”

The distressing case of Lance Corporal David highlights the urgent need for systemic reform in how wounded soldiers are treated, ensuring they receive the medical care and recognition they rightfully deserve.

The Street Reporters Newspaper recalls that a soldier, who could not be immediately identified, had in a video lamented the poor treatment of injured colleagues who have been abandoned in the hospital by the Nigerian military authorities, alleging the video was his last as the authorities had come for him due to his earlier revelations in series of videos he made earlier on the lack of proper welfare for soldiers, saying that he had no regrets about speaking truth to power.

He stated that he may never be heard again as he was aware of the consequences of speaking out but he was ready to face it for the sake of the welfare of his injured colleagues abandoned in medical facilities for years.

According to a recent media report, a trending video by the soldier has sent shockwaves across Nigeria, exposing the grim reality faced by injured soldiers in the Nigerian Army.

In the clip, the brave soldier boldly called out the military hierarchy, accusing them of neglecting wounded troops who are forced to use their meager salaries to pay for their own medical treatment.

The soldier’s emotional outburst also targeted the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, who recently made headlines for planning a trip to Canada to participate in an injured veterans’ tournament.

The soldier’s revelations paint a disturbing picture of the conditions faced by those who have sacrificed their health and well-being in service to the nation.

According to him, injured soldiers are left to fend for themselves, with little to no support from the military.

Rather than attend to his revelations, he was reportedly arrested.

Daily Trust had also reported in January that some Nigerian soldiers injured in the course of duty have complained over neglect and non-payment of their allowances by military authorities.

Some soldiers, who spoke to Daily Trust, said that apart from their salaries, they were yet to receive the special disability compensation they are entitled to, while others claimed that civilian patients were given preferential treatment at the 44 Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna.

While soldiers whose injuries are not severe have reportedly been retained in service, some of them claim they have not been paid certain allowances or given promotions their peers enjoyed.

However, Col Ezundu idimah, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations of the 1 Division in Kaduna, dismissed the claims as lies, saying the soldiers are well catered for.

A soldier, who was paralysed from the waist down by an insurgent’s bullet in the North East, told Daily Trust that he had not received any disability compensation, but his salaries have been promptly paid.

Now confined to a wheelchair, the soldier said his dream and that of his family had been shattered as his expectations in life may no longer be met.

Another soldier, injured three months after his wedding during a training exercise when he was accidentally shot, said he had been in constant pain since the incident, and has been unable to function sexually.

After the incident, he was first treated for months in Maiduguri before being transferred to the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna, where he was treated for another four months.

“I feel a burning pain constantly in the injured leg, and when I walk, a nerve pain is triggered as if I were stepping on sharp nails,” he told Daily Trust.

The soldier now worries about the long-term effects of the injury, saying, “I limp on my left leg as a result of the injury, and it will be difficult for me to walk normally again.”

He said two of his complaint letters, written separately to the commanding officer of his unit, were turned down, but another one had been sent to the army headquarters.

Another soldier, whose hand has been deformed from a gunshot wound sustained in a confrontation with Boko Haram, said he too was recuperating but requires more medical attention.

In 2024, a media report had put the number of injured soldiers in the military medical facility in Kaduna at 289.

Recall that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Olufemi Oluyede, had reaffirmed last year that the sacrifices of soldiers injured while defending the country’s territorial integrity will not go unrecognised.

The Street Reporters Newspaper reports that Lieutenant-General Oluyede spoke during a special Christmas luncheon organised to honour wounded soldiers for their selfless service last year. He said the Nigerian Army and the country deeply appreciate their bravery and commitment.

StreetReporters.ng

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