The Defence Headquarters has remained silent in the wake of a viral video in which a Nigerian soldier accused the military of neglecting injured soldiers in hospitals across the country.
In the eight-minute video, the soldier, visibly angry and speaking in Pidgin English, revealed that many wounded soldiers, particularly at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna and the 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital in Maiduguri, were left to pay for their own treatment. He claimed that despite their injuries being sustained while serving the country, the soldiers had not received the necessary medical attention from the government.
The soldier emphasized the severity of the situation, asserting that some of the injured personnel had been in the hospitals since 2021 without proper medical care. He questioned why the government had not fulfilled its duty to support these soldiers who had been injured while defending the nation.
The soldier also expressed frustration with lower-ranking soldiers who, according to him, were complicit by refusing to support the claims or speak out against the neglect. He condemned these soldiers, saying that those who dismissed his concerns would suffer the consequences.
Despite the growing public outrage over the soldier’s allegations, the Defence Headquarters has yet to issue any formal statement to address the claims. Both the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, and the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, have not responded to inquiries or calls regarding the matter, leaving the issue unresolved.
The lack of response from military authorities has raised concerns about the treatment of wounded soldiers and the government’s commitment to the well-being of its personnel.
