A former Nigerian Air Force officer, Flight Sergeant Pemi Raphael Ekundayo, has called on the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, to urgently review his unjust and illegal retirement from service following severe injuries sustained in the line of duty.
Ekundayo suffered a life-altering spinal cord injury in 2011 while representing the Nigerian Air Force in a volleyball tournament. Despite undergoing extensive medical treatment, including two major spinal surgeries in India, he was retired from service without being invited to appear before a medical board.
“I was retired without due process, without being heard or fairly assessed,” Ekundayo said in an emotional appeal. “I gave my strength and service to the Nigerian Air Force. I got injured while representing them. The least I deserve is justice and dignity.”
Ekundayo’s condition worsened after complications from the second operation, leaving him partially blind and unable to walk unaided. His lawyer, Barrister Timothy Ojonugwa, stated that the medical board’s report failed to fully reflect the extent of his injuries and ongoing challenges.
“We do not intend to drag the name of the NAF in the mud by going to court to challenge this illegality,” Ojonugwa said. “Therefore, it is our sincere appeal that this matter be urgently addressed.”
Ekundayo urged the current Chief of Air Staff to intervene and ensure justice is done. “Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar is a professional officer with a reputation for fairness. I believe he can correct this wrong and set a precedent for how injured officers are treated in the future.”
