By Oluwabukunmi
The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has written to the Federal High Court, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), and the Department of State Services (DSS), demanding the immediate release of his medical report and alleging manipulation of his health records while in custody.
In a letter titled “Grave Concerns Regarding My Medical Treatment and Health Management in DSS Custody” and made available to journalists on Wednesday by his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu raised alarm over what he described as “grave risks” to his health.
Addressed to the President of the NMA and copied to the Registrar of the Federal High Court, Abuja (Attention: Justice James Omotosho), as well as the Director-General of the DSS, Kanu accused DSS-appointed doctors of falsifying his medical records and providing negligent care.
He specifically urged the NMA to investigate alleged manipulation of his test results, protect independent medical practitioners — particularly Emeritus Professor Martin Aghaji, whom he credited with lifesaving intervention — and ensure the release of a September 22, 2025, medical assessment report ordered by the court.
Kanu, who traced his health complications to his 2021 arrest in Kenya, recounted that he was “chained by the leg to a wall in a pitch-dark room for eight days” and denied food, water, and prescribed medication for the first five days. He said he sustained a head injury during arrest, was later administered drugs without explanation, and was forcibly renditioned to Nigeria in a weakened state.
Upon arrival in DSS detention, Kanu said tests revealed a life-threatening potassium deficiency of 1.9 mmol/L. He was subsequently placed on a regimen of supplements and medications, but later accused DSS-appointed doctor, Dr. Nasiru Mohammed, of falsifying test results and downplaying his health crisis.
“Under his so-called care, I continued to experience frequent nosebleeds, fainting episodes, severe chest pains, debilitating headaches, and swelling of the feet,” Kanu alleged, adding that more than 50 blood samples have been taken during his detention without improvement in his condition.
The IPOB leader, who is standing trial on terrorism-related charges, warned that untreated conditions, particularly tinnitus-induced sleep deprivation, continue to endanger his life.
The DSS has yet to respond to Kanu’s allegations as of press time.
