…breaks spinal cord, sells property for medication
By Okosun Dennis
Call it man’s inhumanity to man, you are not entirely wrong. Brand it utter wickedness exhibited with the strictest disrespect for human value, you are on point.
But for a soldier that was enlisted into the Army to defend the nation’s territorial integrity, but was conscripted at the dead of the night to defend cows from being stolen by rustlers, and in the process of carrying out the function was involved in an accident and had his spinal cord broken, where lies the Soldiers’ Creed?
“My honour is my faith; I vow my faith in Nigeria…?”
That is the fate that has befallen Lance Corporal Abdullahi Mohammed of 212 Tank Battalion, Nigerian Army, Maiduguri where he is presently serving.
The soldier who took to his Facebook to express his deepest frustration, angst, and anger while at the same time, seeking assistance from the general public to come to his aid with a view to getting financial support to upturn his rapacious predicament, calls on President Muhammadu Buhari, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru for assistance to enable him to get adequate medical treatment.
“What I want the Nigerian Army to do for me is to assist me to carry out the surgery in any good hospital so that the plastic tube attached to my penis can be removed. At the moment, it gives me excruciating pains.
“Moreover, as an orphan, I have nobody to take care of me as my wife has abandoned me since 2017 and got married to another man. The only assistance I get now is from my course mate who has stood both in the rains and sunshine to render selfless help.”
While narrating further his ordeals to our correspondent, he explained that on June 5, 2015, he (L/Cpl Abdullahi with Service No: 2009NA/64/5264) was posted on duty along Kaduna-Maraban Jos expressway, Kaduna in the house of one Colonel DR Hassan now retired, who was then the Garrison Commander, 8 Division of the Nigerian Army.
He explained that while on his duty, a call was said to have come from the security men at the Commander’s private farm about 2:30 am for assistance as robbers/rustlers had attacked the farm to steal cows.
“Immediately the attention of the Garrison Commander’s wife was drawn, they (including Abdullahi) were tasked to go against the gunmen and neutralise them.”
Sensing the danger posed by such action and considering that they were only four soldiers and the distance from Col Hassan’s house to the farm was miles away, they resisted the deployment.
Abdullahi further stated that unfortunately for them, as the Garrison Commander, by fiat, he ordered they must set out that night and confront the unknown gunmen.
“His security men at the farmhouse called to say that unknown gunmen wanted to steal his cows. We insisted that we would not go but we were forced to embark on the rescue mission that midnight to protect the cows from being stolen.”
“Based on order and against our wish, we set out but on our way to the farm, we had head to head collision with a trailer and two of my colleagues (soldiers) died on the spot while I was unconscious and later admitted at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna.”
“It was when I regained consciousness that I was told that my colleagues: L/Cpl Jamilu Ahmed and Private Hamisu of the same battalion died in the accident.”
“I have been used and dumped by Col. Hassan. Since this incident happened in 2015, he had never picked his phone to call me and ask about my well-being. Even for the Army to get me some money to go to University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital to carry out some test, I have not received any money from the Nigerian Army to fast-track the process.”
“I am a gallant soldier who is ever ready to serve my fatherland but this is how life has turned me now. I cannot walk by myself and I can’t also urinate except through a pipe and rubber connected to my urinary system.”
“My major problem for the incapacitation is because I have a problem with my spinal cord. Since this incident happened in 2015, the Garrison Commander, Col. DR Hassan with his family has abandoned me even though he has retired now in 2017.”
“Nothing serious was done by the Commander. I have spent every kobo I had on me for treatment and drugs. Now, I’ve resorted to selling my properties and have sold everything but all to no avail,” Abdullali recounted his ordeals.
Asked what had been the contribution of the Nigerian Army considering that he was on active duty when he had the accident, Abdullahi explained that at the beginning of the incident, he was on admission as they enrolled him for National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
While appealing to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) for assistance and other concerned Nigerians, Abdullahi said, “I’m calling on the Nigerian public to come to my aid as I have no one to assist me. Is this how my life will end? Is it because I have no one to stand for me as an orphan?
“Where are all the lawmakers? The barristers that will stand for my right; Where are the human Right Activists? They should kindly come to my aid so that I can walk again. Where are all these people? They should stand for me because of God? I’m in great pains and suffering,” Lance Corporal Abdullahi reiterated.
When contacted, the Director, Army Public Relations (DAPR), Brig. Gen. Mohammed Yerima said there were a plethora of cases with such medical needs at the moment and are admitted at the 44 Military Reference Hospital, Kaduna.
He explained that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru was aware of cases of this nature and is presently doing everything possible to evacuate them especially those who were involved during Operation Lafiya Dole for medical rhapsody.
However, he further explained that the Colonel was not entitled to security no matter the appointment he was held according to the terms and conditions of Service.
“What I will tell you is that there are many of them like that and the Chief of Army Staff is aware and he is making efforts to see how people like that could be evacuated for medical attention. It is pathetic,” Brig. Gen. Yerima reiterated.
https://any.peopleandpowermag.com/wickedness-army-abandons-soldier-after-ghastly-accident-while-protecting-commanders-cow/
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