By Esther Onyegbula

When 39-year-old Chike Jesse Nwankwo secured a job with Addax Petroleum Development (Nig.) Ltd, as a protocol officer 14 years ago, his joy knew no bounds. However, he did not know that fate had other things in stock for him. His promising life took a different turn on March 13, 2013 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, after he was shot by a gang of armed robbers while on official duty. The daredevils were operating in a bureau de change near the airport.

Jesse Nwankwo

Narrating how his life changed in a twinkle of an eye, Mr Nwankwo told Crime Guard: “I was immediately rushed to Reddington Hospital, Lagos Island where they performed the first surgery on my broken left thigh. The hospital did an implant on my thigh. After spending about 10 days at the hospital, I was discharged. Addax Petroleum

Development (Nig.) Ltd took care of the medical bills. The company spent about N3 million for the initial surgery.

Experience at the hospital

“Two days after I was discharged from the hospital, I started having severe pains and I had to go back to the hospital. That was when the issue of contract staff cropped up. Addax Petroleum, my primary employer said that Lington and Bernie (secondary employer) should be responsible for my medical treatment from then on. When I got to the hospital, I was abandoned till late in the night when Lington and Bernie sent an ambulance that took me to Eko Hospital in Ikeja.

When I got there, there was no room, no bed. I was laid on a stretcher till 5am when they made a room available for me. That morning before the doctor came, they did X-ray on my leg to find out what was causing me so much pain. The company said that a doctor in Eko Hospital will follow up on my leg till I got well. Unfortunately, I started putting on weight when it wasn’t yet time. Even when I was complaining that I was feeling so much pain, the doctor said it was one of the issues associated with my kind of surgery, and normal treatment continued.

Back to work but …

“As God would have it, I resumed work in October 2013. I stopped using clutches and started using walking stick. I worked from October till June 2014. On that fateful day, I was okay when I went to work but later in the day, I started feeling severe pain different from the usual pain. The pain got so bad that when I closed for the day, I couldn’t help myself to the staff bus. My colleagues had to help me into the staff bus. The next day, I couldn’t go to work because of the pains.

I called my supervisor and explained to him and then went to Eko Hospital for X-ray to know what the problem was. The result of the X-ray revealed that the bone had been fractured again, and the implant broken. It was at that point that I went to National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos. I carried the company management along in every step of the way. After due consultations with the company, they agreed that one of the consultants at Igbobi (name with held) should carry out the second surgery which was done on June 20, 2014.

A month after the second surgery, there was no relief and the screw of the implant on my thigh were pulling out and affecting my flesh. When I complained about the development to the doctors, they did casting, put POP, yet the problem continued. At a point, the doctor said I would have to undergo another surgery. I wept bitterly, as two surgeries had failed. And, how would I raise money for the third surgery and what were the chances of the third one being successful? Throughout this period, the company was still paying my basic salary and also footing the medical bills.

Retrenchment

“As if fate had not dealt me enough hard punches, in Febuary 2015, I was retrenched alongside some other staff members. I was paid one month basic salary and laid off while still searching for how to raise money for the third surgery. After the retrenchment, I put up a letter of appeal to Addax Petroleum and Lington and Bernie to enable them assist me with funds to travel outside the country for the third surgery, considering the fact that the previous two surgeries done in Nigeria failed and I was sacked while I was on sick bed. Neither of the companies responded to the first and second letters.

Medical trip to India

“It was family members, friends, and colleagues who came to my rescue, contributing their widow’s mite to assist me travel to India for the third surgery, which was carried out in August 2015. During the period I was soliciting for $10,000 for the surgery in Fortis Hospital in India, the Head of Department (HOD), Addax Petroleum called to inform me that the company has decided to assist with two business flight tickets and $5,000 which they never fulfilled after collecting bank details of the hospital and writing to the management of Fortis Hospital behind my back to verify my claims.

Contact with my lawyer

“They asked my lawyer to write a letter acknowledging their efforts so far and what they intend to do in the future. After going through their letter, my lawyer declined because its intent weren’t clear. They refused to assist even with the initial $5,000 they promised. After several correspondences to both Addax Petroleum and Lington and Bernie, Lington and Bernie called seven months after I returned from India to say that the company was working on modalities on how to assist me.

But they ended up doing nothing. Sincerely, I am tired of the company’s attitude towards me. I served the company to the best of my ability for 11 years, yet they have abandoned me in my hour of need. With my present condition, no company will employ me. I can’t pay my children’s school fees. I can’t pay my house rent. Worst is the fact that in a few years’ time, I will have to undergo another surgery to remove the implant, and that is another cause to worry.

In the past

“Before the robbery incident, one of my bosses rammed into a vehicle and the accident affected the female occupant’s spinal cord. The company flew the victim and a family member overseas for her surgery, took care of her medical bills and accommodation for six months and when she returned, they bought her a brand new car after fixing the damaged one, which was also returned to her. How come my life has no value to them after working diligently for 11 years? I am, therefore, demanding that the company pay N100 million compensation for all that I have been subjected to,” he stated.

Company reacts

Reacting to Chike Jesse Nwankwo’s claims, the Administrative Manager, Lington and Bernie, Mrs Olufolake Fawehinmi said that the company paid for two surgeries and is working out modalities to assist him. According to her, “my concern is that Jesse went to the press. What is he trying to do? Right now, as I am speaking with you, his case is still on my system.

There are conversations going on between the company and him, so what is he talking about? Right now, I am on it. We have not abandoned him; we have assisted him in the past and we approved some millions of naira for him, which he refused to collect. We asked him to come to the office to sign some documents, but he declined. And now, he is complaining here and there. Thanks for reaching out to us and getting our own side of the story.”