Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has petitioned the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), accusing doctors attached to the Department of State Services (DSS) of falsifying his medical records and exposing him to life-threatening neglect.
The petition, dated September 22, 2025, was signed by Kanu from DSS custody and released to the media through his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor. It was also copied to the Federal High Court and the DSS Director-General.
Kanu Details Ordeal in Kenya and Nigeria
Kanu recalled his controversial arrest in Kenya in 2021 and his eventual transfer to Nigeria, which sparked international condemnation at the time. He said his health had been in decline since the “violent abduction,” and worsened in DSS custody due to what he described as falsified test results and negligent care.
“For eight days in Kenya, I was chained by the leg to a wall in a pitch-dark room. I was denied food, water, and medication. By the time I was handed over to Nigerian authorities, my body was already failing,” Kanu wrote.
Upon arrival in Nigeria, he said tests revealed life-threatening potassium deficiency, but claimed DSS-appointed doctors tampered with subsequent results to cover up his condition.
Petition to NMA: “My Life Is at Risk”
In his petition titled “Grave Concerns Regarding My Medical Treatment and Health Management in DSS Custody”, Kanu asked the NMA to urgently release its medical assessment report ordered by a Federal High Court. He also urged protection for independent doctors, particularly Emeritus Professor Martin Aghaji, whom he credited with saving his life.
“It was Professor Aghaji’s timely intervention that stopped my fainting spells and nosebleeds. He also confirmed I am dealing with kidney, liver and prostate problems, as well as tinnitus, which makes sleep impossible,” Kanu wrote.
The IPOB leader alleged that the DSS continues to obstruct independent medical care and warned that untreated conditions could lead to “stroke, collapse, or sudden death.”
He called on the NMA to investigate medical ethics violations within the DSS, protect independent physicians from intimidation, and institute oversight measures for detainee healthcare in Nigeria.
