The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has raised fresh concerns about his deteriorating health while being held in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
In a letter made available to journalists on Wednesday, October 1, Nnamdi Kanu appealed directly to President Bola Tinubu and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to intervene urgently.
The letter, titled “Grave concerns regarding my medical treatment and health management in DSS custody”, was written from the DSS detention facility in Abuja and personally signed by Kanu. Copies were also sent to Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, and the Director General of the DSS.
“I, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, detained in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja, write with a deep sense of urgency and gravity to place before the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) the true and detailed account of my medical ordeal,” the letter partly read.
Kanu said his health, already weakened since his arrest in Kenya, has been further damaged by what he described as “inconsistent, falsified, and sometimes outright negligent medical practices” in Nigeria.
He urged the NMA to investigate alleged manipulation of his medical records and to protect independent doctors, especially Emeritus Professor Martin Aghaji, whose intervention, he said, helped stabilise his condition.
He also called for the release of the NMA medical panel’s report dated September 22, 2025, which the Federal High Court had ordered to be filed within four days. According to him, the findings confirmed organ complications, severe potassium deficiency, hypertension, and tinnitus that have left him struggling with sleep deprivation.
Recalling his arrest in Kenya, Kanu alleged he was chained for eight days in a dark cell, beaten, denied food and medication, and forced to take unidentified substances.
“Without decisive action, this neglect may prove fatal. I therefore urge the NMA to act with urgency and integrity to protect both my life and the ethical standing of the medical profession in Nigeria,” he wrote.
The IPOB leader insisted that intimidation of independent doctors and suppression of medical reports violate both Nigerian and international human rights standards.
