The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has raised serious allegations against the Department of State Services (DSS), accusing its medical team of falsifying his health records and providing inadequate treatment while in custody.
In a formal petition addressed to the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Kanu, through his legal team, claimed that his health had been systematically undermined during detention. The petition was titled: “Grave Concerns Regarding My Medical Treatment and Health Management in DSS Custody: Request for Urgent Intervention, Protection of Independent Practitioners, and Immediate Release of NMA Medical Assessment Report.”
Kanu personally signed the letter from DSS custody in Abuja and copied the document to the Registrar of the Federal High Court, Justice James Omotosho, as well as the Director-General of the DSS. The petition, according to his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, was made public on Wednesday.
The IPOB leader alleged:
“My health, already weakened by my violent abduction in Kenya, has been compromised further by inconsistent, falsified, and sometimes outright negligent medical practices within Nigeria. This letter is intended not only to bring my condition to the formal attention of the NMA but also to invoke the ethical responsibilities of the medical profession under both Nigerian law and international human rights standards.”
Kanu urged the NMA to investigate the alleged manipulation of his medical files, protect independent practitioners—especially Emeritus Professor Martin Aghaji, whom he credited with saving his life—and ensure the release of the medical team’s report ordered by the Federal High Court on September 22, 2025.
Recounting his ordeal in Kenya before being brought to Nigeria, he narrated that he was chained in a windowless cell for eight days. He said:
“On the very first day, my head was slammed against the edge of a car door, resulting in an open wound. For the first five days, I was denied food, water, and medication. When my body began to fail, a doctor was summoned, and I was compelled to ingest medications without explanation.”
According to him, the mistreatment left him gravely weakened before his transfer to Nigeria. Upon arrival, he alleged that medical tests confirmed a life-threatening potassium deficiency, which DSS doctors later covered up.
Kanu wrote:
“From the moment Dr. Nasiru Mohammed assumed control, he began falsifying my test results, recording normal potassium levels when in reality they were dangerously low. Under his so-called care, I continued to experience nosebleeds, fainting, severe chest pains, headaches, and swelling of the feet.”
He accused DSS-appointed doctors of violating medical ethics through record falsification, intimidation of independent physicians, and the concealment of test results from him.
The IPOB leader credited Professor Aghaji’s timely intervention for saving him from collapse. Aghaji reportedly helped stabilise his potassium levels, eased his nosebleeds, and reduced swelling in his feet.
Kanu further disclosed that he still suffers from tinnitus, a condition that disrupts his sleep and worsens his overall health, warning that it could lead to “stroke, collapse, or sudden death” if untreated.
He concluded with a direct appeal:
“I respectfully call upon the NMA to ensure immediate release of its September 22 report, protect Professor Aghaji as my physician of choice, investigate DSS-appointed doctors for falsification, and institute independent oversight to guarantee medical ethics in detainee cases. Without decisive action, this neglect may prove fatal.”
okay.ng reports that Kanu’s petition has once again spotlighted the longstanding concerns over detainee welfare and medical rights in Nigeria’s detention facilities.
