Re: Preferential treatment in the army

The report stated inter alia that “despite the obvious danger and constant threats to life being faced by the security forces, the help and moral support being provided to the wounded troops and their families is selective”. The Nigerian Army wishes to state categorical that the report was a deliberate falsehood as all its operational […]

The report stated inter alia that “despite the obvious danger and constant threats to life being faced by the security forces, the help and moral support being provided to the wounded troops and their families is selective”. The Nigerian Army wishes to state categorical that the report was a deliberate falsehood as all its operational plans are medically supportable.
The write-up further insinua-ted that troops serving in the JTF enjoy the benefit of a proper medical treatment if wounded while others not in the JTF are left to fend for themselves if wounded in the line of duty. This report is not only misleading, but has tendency to misrepresent the true nature of medical procedures in the Nigerian Army.
I wish to state that contrary to the newspaper report, the Nigerian Army has Standard Operating Procedures for personnel casualty evacuation during operations. Medical support contributes to the physical and moral component of fighting power. For the avoidance of doubt, the Nigerian Army casualty evacuation procedure starts from the collection within a unit, where casualties receive first aid from their comrades and are then moved by unit stretcher bearers to the Medical Reception Station (MRS), then to the Base/Field Hospital and thereafter to a Reference Hospital. It is important to note that any of the evacuation drill stated above may be cut out, when the situation necessitates the use of air transport.
This enables seriously woun-ded casualties in operations to be evacuated directly from MRS to a Base/Field Hospital or Reference Hospital base on an assessment. These procedures are applicable both in war and internal security operations. In respect to the writer’s article, all that the concerned soldier needed to do was to report to any medical unit based on a referral from his MRS, where he will be treated without question.
This publication has the ten-dency of misleading the esteemed readers and the general public of your respectable newspaper. The writer has only succeeded in exhibiting his apparent naivety or total lack of knowledge on the administrative procedures that guide the treatment of sick or wounded personnel in the Nigerian Army.
It is my considered opinion that in future your newspaper should endeavour to verify facts from the appropriate military authority before going to press. Thank you.

Brigadier General Ibrahim Attahiru, Director Army Public Relations