Abandoned Nigerian Soldier Seeks Help After Four Years in Hospital While Ex-Boko Haram Fighters Are Sent Abroad for Training

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

Lance Corporal Itodo David, a Nigerian soldier who sustained a severe spinal cord injury while fighting Boko Haram, has been abandoned in the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna since 2020.

Despite assurances from the Nigerian Army that he would be flown abroad for specialized surgery, David remains bedridden with no help, growing increasingly frustrated. He said, “I have given up hope. I have been here at 44 in Kaduna since 2020. They promised to fly me out for surgery, but nothing has been done.”

David, who served for six years in counter-terrorism operations, questions the government’s priorities. While he and other wounded soldiers languish in hospitals, reports reveal that ex-Boko Haram fighters are being rehabilitated and trained abroad.

This contrast has sparked outrage among Nigerians. David expressed his pain, saying, “I fought for this country, yet I am treated like I don’t matter.”

His plight has gone largely unaddressed by officials, with no official response to his case, leaving him to rely on his family for support.

His case has drawn widespread public outrage, with citizens demanding justice. David pleads, “Please help me before I die. I don’t want to die like this.”