David, speaking to SaharaReporters on Wednesday, revealed that he served for six years in the North-East region, engaging in counter-terrorism operations against insurgents, before his deployment to Katsina State.
Lance Corporal Itodo David, a Nigerian soldier who sustained a spinal cord injury while on duty, has alleged neglect by the Nigerian Army authorities since the life-altering incident occurred on September 4, 2020 in Abia State.
David, speaking to SaharaReporters on Wednesday, revealed that he served for six years in the North-East region, engaging in counter-terrorism operations against insurgents, before his deployment to Katsina State.
Meanwhile, it was during an assignment in Abia State that he suffered the debilitating injury.
According to him, he spent about six months at the barracks in Katsina, before he was sent back to Abia State.
"When I came back from the operation, the next day, I was prepared for another mission. My commanding officer (CO) instructed me to report to the admin office before heading out for the operation. Later in the evening, while I was returning, I was involved in an accident. A vehicle hit me while I was on my bike," David said.
David revealed that the accident resulted in a devastating spinal cord injury, leaving him with significant medical needs.
He alleges that despite his service, the army has neglected him, leaving him to bear the financial burden of his medical expenses and rehabilitation without support.
"I was riding a bike when a vehicle hit me in front of the barracks of the 143 Battalion in Abia State," David told SaharaReporters.
He explained that he was rushed to a hospital in Umuahia, but the hospital was on strike, so he was referred to Enugu.
"I stayed for some time in Enugu, but they mismanaged my condition. When I arrived, I had no wounds on my body. However, as I stayed there, wounds began to develop on my body—on my leg and my hand.
"Eventually, they got tired of my case and referred me to the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna," he said.
According to David, "When I got into the accident, they diagnosed a spinal cord injury. The doctor in Enugu couldn’t handle it, so I came to 44 here. But after speaking to the doctors, they said they wouldn’t operate on me. At the moment, I don’t know why."
David said the Chief Medical Director later decided he should be taken to a specialist in Kano.
"They transported me to Kano," he added.
"Before I left for Kano, some people in Kaduna who had been treated by the doctor warned me not to go. They told me the doctor in Kano didn’t know how to handle spinal cord cases and advised me not to let him operate on me because he was inexperienced in that field."
David told SaharaReporters that officers who sustain spinal cord injuries are usually sent abroad for treatment.
However, he expressed frustration, questioning why his case was being treated differently despite serving his country faithfully and upholding the oath he swore.
"The Nigerian Army normally sends people abroad for treatment of spinal injuries and bring them back," he said.
"A director from 44 (Military Hospital), a Colonel, took me to Kano to meet Doctor Musa. He said he was going to operate on me, but I refused because I didn't feel confident in his expertise. Spinal cord surgery is not his field," David explained. "So, I returned to Kaduna."
David added that the doctor had admitted that the surgery had a 50-50 chance of success and that he was not confident about the outcome.
"So, I said, if you are not sure, you should leave it because what I have heard about the man and many people he has operated on is troubling. Only a few cases turned out perfectly, while the others were unsuccessful.
"When the director came, I explained everything to him. I told him, 'Why didn’t you send me outside the country so they could perform a proper surgery on me?' Because, normally, that is what they used to do," he said.
David said the Nigerian Army sends people to 44 (Army Reference Hospital) but, if they notice that the case is critical, the authorities send them out of the country for treatment.
He explained to SaharaReporters that they usually file a bond at 44 and send everything to the army headquarters so that a patient can be sent abroad for treatment.
He said after he returned to Kaduna, they promised to file the bond for him so they could fly him out of the country for the surgery.
"A civilian staff member at 44, Emmanuel, who is responsible for preparing the bond, came and did the bond. However, after that, I heard nothing. I kept asking him about the response, but he didn’t answer me. Since then, whenever I speak to him, he acts as though I’m disturbing him."
David said Emmanuel’s job is to prepare the bond and file it with the army headquarters.
David added that, since then, everything has gone quiet, and no one is talking about his treatment anymore.
"I contacted my dad and narrated everything to him. He tried his best to help and said they should take me home. I waited at home for some time, and after he had spent a lot of money, he still carried me back to Kaduna.
"At 44, I started disturbing them again. However, the new Chief Medical Director, Colonel Onuchukwu, came in after they had replaced the previous director. I asked him politely what they were going to do about my surgery.
"He openly told me there was nothing they could do. When I asked him why, he said they would take me to Kano again.
"I told him that I had already been referred to Kano, but the doctor there was not confident about the operation, which is why I returned to Kaduna.”
David told SaharaReporters that since then, they have abandoned him, and he does not know what to do.
He also said a fellow soldier who was involved in a similar accident passed away at the hospital early last month.
"The soldier was an elderly man. He could no longer bear the pain, and he just passed away. He died at 44 Military Hospital early last month,” David said.
When SaharaReporters contacted the Nigerian Army spokesperson, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, he said, "In fact, as I speak now, we're just returning from Jaji. We just arrived in Kaduna.
"I will like to get all his details so that when I get back to Abuja, I will meet the appropriate department to assess his situation.”
Nwachukwu told SaharaReporters that the acting Chief of Army Staff, during his visit to Jaji, instructed that the names of injured soldiers be compiled immediately to ensure they receive adequate medical attention.
He added that all soldiers with any form of disability or injury would be provided with full medical care.
"The acting Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, just told troops that welfare is priority and asked them to take down the names of soldiers who have that kind of disability or one form of disability or other.
"He's going to get adequate medical attention."