The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has written a formal petition to the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), raising alarm over what he described as life-threatening health challenges while being held in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Kanu, who has been in detention since June 2022 following his extraordinary rendition from Kenya, addressed the letter dated September 29, 2025, to the NMA President. He said his medical condition, already weakened before his arrest, had worsened under DSS custody due to what he alleged as falsified records, poor treatment, and negligence.
He stated that the appeal was not only to draw the attention of the NMA to his health situation but also to remind the medical body of its duty under Nigerian law and international standards to uphold professional ethics.
The IPOB leader called on the NMA to investigate the alleged manipulation of his medical records in DSS custody and to protect independent medical practitioners, including Emeritus Professor Martin Aghaji, whom he credited with playing a crucial role in keeping him alive.
Kanu also urged the association to ensure the immediate release of a medical team’s report dated September 22, 2025, which a Federal High Court in Abuja had ordered to be filed within four days. He warned that his life remained at risk from untreated health problems, especially tinnitus-related sleep deprivation, which he said was worsening his condition.
Copies of the petition were sent to the Federal High Court Registrar in Abuja, the Director-General of the DSS, and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.