Ex-Biafran soldier, Captain Leo Amadi, has been living with a bullet in his system for 45 years, after the Nigerian Civil War. His story, which he told from his little patent medicine shop in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, is that of despondence, feeling of betrayal by the Nigerian and South East authorities he had looked up to for assistance. He talks with Assistant Editor (South South), JOE EZUMA, on his travails in search of remedy, his frustrating experiences in getting his state governor, Rochas Okorocha, to help, as well as his support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption drive.
You look like a Civil War victim?
Yes, I am. At the outbreak of the war, I was one of the young men who fought to defend the Igbo and Biafran cause. I rose to the rank of a Captain. Unfortunately, I sustained a severe injury when a bullet hit me on my left eye, got lodged in my chest region and has remained there for more than 45 years.
Where did you sustain the injury?
It was at the battle of Ngor Okpala. After being commissioned as Captain, one of my first tasks was to command troops to confront rampaging federal troops. That was on July 29, 1969. When we met the federal soldiers face-to-face at Umuogbonta, Ngor Okpala, a fierce battle ensued during which my troops recorded heavy casualties. A 2.5mm bullet also hit me on the shoulder and had remained there since. It was a very bad day and it was miraculous that I survived. But sadly, I have never been a complete human being since then.
How have you been coping with such debilitating situation?
The war ended six months after my misfortune. When help was not coming from anywhere, I began to make effort to fend for myself. But I can’t stand for too long. I cannot also do any hard work. I have been relying on my wife and family members. I have been receiving treatment from many hospitals, including the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), University of Ibadan Teaching Hospital (UITH) and the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu.
Some medical reports showed that I need a delicate surgery to remove the bullet. Several hospitals in India had been recommended for the surgery, but the cost, which is estimated at N7 million, is beyond me and my family who had stood by me all through my ordeal.
Have you reached out to your state governor?
In 2013, I wrote a letter to my state governor, Rochas Okorocha, appealing for financial assistance and urged him to, in the spirit of his rescue mission mantra, assist me in any way possible to enable me get treated in India.
I am yet to receive a response to the letter from the governor. I will appreciate any form of help, so long as it will help remove the bullet lodged in me.
Do you have any regret taking part in the war, considering your current situation?
I don’t regret fighting the war, but I regret the spiralling corruption in the land and the progressive dehumanisation of the society where people indulge in mindless looting of the commonwealth without caring for the poor, the weak, the hungry, the jobless and the sick. That is why the Muhammadu Buhari administration’s emphasis on fighting corruption has caught the fancy of the people of Nigeria. In fact, Buhari’s second coming is a good omen to Nigeria.
You seem to be favourably disposed to Buhari. What informs this?
Yes, I have affection for Buhari and I still have hope that he is going to fix the country. He is, for now, the only person that is capable of beating Nigerians into line for disciplined behaviour. You can see how facilities like electricity, petroleum got stabilised even without having been addressed by the president.
Some people have accused the president of being pro-North and biased against the Igbo.
I don’t think so yet. We have to watch him and see where he is going to. I feel that he has good intention for the country.
Do you see his anti-corruption crusade pulling through?
Yes, he will succeed in stemming corruption in the country. This is because nobody had followed it this way before. If Nigerians give him their support, he will do well. As for the allegation of tribalism or bias, I don’t think there is such things in his conduct of public affairs so far. Rather, what you see is a belief, on his part, that for him to actualise his vision for Nigeria and the promise he made to Nigerians during the election, he needs people he can trust to help him deliver, sentiment or ethnic balancing aside.
What is your view on the recent pro-Biafra demonstration across the South East and parts of South South?
I did not understand the reason for the protests and agitations. The issues are not yet clear to me. I am a victim of the Civil War and will not be drawn into anything that will lead to war again. On the other hand, I wish Nigerian people peaceful co-existence. But if Biafra will come to stay, the better.
Buhari should be resolute, focused and steadfast in implementing his programmes and not be distracted by destructive criticisms. He should, however, be responsive to genuine complaints.