[OPINION] Army Immunization, Who Even Asked For Their Help? By Tobenna Obiano.

Anambra State is in the news again. Somehow, it's not so good a news this time. There is this rising concern of another unauthorized invasion of Igboland by the Nigerian military. It is alleged that school children are being forcefully immunized. How incredible!


Often times, we shout on top of our voices that Nigeria is a joke in its entirety, a few tend to wave us down or feel our thoughts are because of disagreeing with the Government in power, but it's fine. We must speak up anyways, and always.

Lately, the Nigerian Government has failed to learn or to listen to the voice of reason. There has been rising concern that the Nigerian Government under Mr. Buhari and in working relationship with the military had continued to invade and maim the people of Igboland. There was military invasion code named Operation Python Dance, in which aftereffect led to the torture, attack and in some extreme cases, murder of some young Igbos.

Now, there rose a news of a dangerous outbreak of monkeypox which began in Bayelsa State m, and later to Akwa-Ibom State, both in South South, Nigeria. The seemingly-killer infection which is usually contacted through consumption of not properly cooked bushmeat, mainly monkies and also from those who have the disease already. The surest path to avoid it is simply through proper sanitization. Thus far, the infection has been recorded in Lagos State and as of yesterday, in Enugu State too. These are where rising concern of the spread of this disease should be watched majorly.


As these infection ravages people from those parts of Nigeria, there are also litanies of communicable diseases which are still spreading like wildfire all over the different parts of Northern Nigeria, ofcourse they are more prone to diseases and infection. And somehow, the level of illitracy there is quite worrisome, it is so bad that even the Governor of Zamfara State spoke up that a widespread communicable disease was a case of God punishing them for sexual atrocities committed.

Today, it is alleged that the military overtook some parts of Anambra, towards Nnewi axis and particularly around Ozubulu where as it is claimed, that they are forcefully carrying out what has been termed an immunization.

Now, I sometimes don't understand our law in Nigeria. I also do not understand the workings of our Healthcare system in Nigeria. No one, for whatsoever reason at all has any right to immunize any school child without approval of parents or their wards. Infact, schools have no right whatsoever to allow the entrant of immunization personnel to schools without widespread awareness and seminars plus an appoval of parents, for all those under adult age of 18.


It doesn't matter what good intention anyone has, things must be done rightly. Who even begged them to come and immunize our kids for us?

It is common knowledge that the violent prone areas, with high risks of spread for diseases and infection plus an intimidating high rate of illiteracy is the Northern part of Nigeria. This is the place where the services of any special medical attention is needed most, not in Igboland and of all places, not Anambra.

The Government should forthwith stop their unnecessary Greek gift of "immunization", which has become very suspicious and they must have to withdraw the soldiers from Igboland. The fear and worries by school children and parents is becoming monstrous. Now, it's alleged that with the breaking of this viral news, parents immediately rushed to schools to withdraw their wards, and most schools in Igboland have shut down atleast until Monday.

Also, the Anambra State Gubernatorial Elections is just 38days away. There is rising concern about what the intention of the unplanned vaccination was for. We have many functional media channels and means of creating awareness, these channels ought to be used by the soldiers, federal and state Government in pre-informing the people, before the arrival of healthcare givers and the soldiers, and not a sudden kangaroo invasion of sort.


The Chairman House Committee on Health, Mr. Nnamdi Okafor had in responding to rising concerns of the people written on his FB page about the invasion. He said that he reached out to the Commissioner for Health in Anambra State and was shocked to learn that he, the Commissioner wasn't informed or aware of any medical mission or outreach going on in the state by the Nigerian military. Hon. Okafor also stated quite clearly that pupils are being forcefully inoculated and that there has been a casualty recorded from same "immunization". This raises serious worries and concerns. The Anambra State Government has also made a public release, asking for calm and stoppage of the vaccination for now, but from the tone of the Government representative in that press release, it clearly shows they weren't informed as well and like us all, were also taken by surprise.

Ofcourse, the military cannot intentionally vaccinate the people with any killer infection or disease, in this case monkeypox as it is alleged by some miscreants and those who tend to cause confusion, everywhere. These enemies of the people who spread those unfounded rumors only hope to cause fear and commotion amongst the people.

That said, nomatter the good intention of the Government or the military, we do know that in medical practice, there is what is called "consent-giving", an instruction to treat or not to treat, before administration of any medical services. Persons of adult age alone can consent for their health needs, or else, they have a signed or given consent for who to help where they can't. Kids and school children of less than 18years cannot consent, it lies upon their parents, but unless and only when it's a killer or deadly case of maybe, a need for blood transfusion. Now, it hasn't gotten this bad in Anambra.

As a school child myself, I grew used to knowing immunization officials always come to help us in school and sometimes at home with their uniform and small box of their FirstAid kit, never had I witnessed soldiers escorting or acting on their behalf. We should watch this to curtail further fear and quite avoidable rising concern of the thought of hate from the Government upon the people of Igboland.

Igboland and particularly Anambra State is a peaceful zone; even so, we are in a very tough time where anything or any moves may be misread, misconstrued or misunderstood. The Government, her agencies and footsoldiers should stop their gullibility and this show of crass arrogance and ignorance. They should act intelligently and maturely too.

Igboland is safe, Anambra is peaceful.