The Nigerian Army has received with utmost concern the very touching and pathetic story of Lance Corporal Itodo David, who was said to have been abandoned at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital (NARHK) Kaduna as narrated in a trending audio visual circulating in the social media. The narration portrayed that the soldier had sustained an injury while on a combat operation and has been left in a state of abandonment and neglect since the incident.

Though it is not untrue that LCpl Itodo had suffered a gunshot injury back in 2015, it was successfully managed at the same 44 NARHK and was fully restored to active life.

Disturbing as Itodo’s current situation is, the narration did not, however, give a true picture of what transpired and failed to acknowledge the untiring effort of the Nigerian Army to provide medical and psychological support for the healing of the soldier and several other ailing personnel who had received medical intervention both within and outside the country, thereby compelling the need to present the facts of the situation.

Lcpl Itodo David , a 33 year old male soldier is currently admitted in 44 NARHK following a complete spinal cord injury sustained 4 years ago, when he was knocked down by a fast moving vehicle while riding his motorbike at Abia State on 7 September 2020. He was then resuscitated at the Federal Medical Centre Owerri before he was evacuated to 82 Division Medical Services and Hospital (DMSH) Enugu and subsequently referred on 3 months post injury with Quadriplegia (paralysis of both arms and legs), muscle atrophy (loss of muscle mass) and multiple pressure sores over the occiput, arms and the gluteal region as well as fracture and displacement of the cervical vertebra.The Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) revealed complete spinal cord transection injury. Sadly, the current situation, as revealed in the medical evaluation, indicates that his inability to walk is permanent, which has been adequately explained to the soldier. This finding was corrborated by medical experts both within and outside the shores of the country, who conducted both physical and remote medical reviews of his condition. Several medical interventions have been made to ammeliorate his condition and have been placed on physiotherapy to improve his muscle tone, while the pressure sores are continuously dressed and managed. He has also been regularly attended to by psychologists.

The soldier has thus been on Conservative management in the hospital and not abandoned as wrongly portrayed in the video. The leadership of the Nigerian Army genuinely empathizes with the personnel and wishes that it could do more to bring the soldier back to his feet in the face of a medically feasible opportunity.