Nnamdi Kanu Petitions NMA Over Health Neglect In DSS Custody

Detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu has raised alarm over worsening health conditions in the custody of the Department of State Services.

He accused DSS doctors of falsifying medical results and failing to treat life-threatening ailments. His concerns were contained in a letter sent on September 29, 2025, to the Nigerian Medical Association in Abuja.

The letter detailed his struggles with severe potassium deficiency, hypertension, fainting spells, chest pains, and tinnitus. He said his condition began to worsen after his arrest in Kenya, where he alleged he was held in harsh conditions, beaten, denied food and water, and forced to take unknown drugs before being transferred to Nigeria.

Kanu said his health challenges had persisted under DSS care despite more than 50 blood tests. He accused the doctors assigned to him of tampering with his potassium test results to suggest normal levels when, according to him, they were dangerously low. He also pointed to poor management of symptoms such as dizziness, nosebleeds, and swelling of the feet.

The IPOB leader credited Emeritus Professor Martin Aghaji with helping to stabilize him temporarily, though he alleged the DSS intimidated the professor, as they had done with his longtime physician. He described untreated tinnitus as one of his most troubling conditions, warning that the constant ringing in his ears had deprived him of sleep, aggravated his blood pressure, and increased his risk of collapse.

Kanu disclosed that an independent assessment was carried out on September 22, 2025, by an NMA medical team on the directive of the Attorney-General of the Federation. He said the team confirmed the earlier findings and recommended further treatment, including nasal surgery. He insisted that the report must be released without delay, warning against any attempt to substitute its contents.

In his petition, Kanu called on the NMA to step in and protect doctors who have provided him proper care. He urged the association to probe the conduct of DSS-appointed doctors, secure the release of the medical team’s findings, and ensure that detainees receive proper medical treatment in line with both Nigerian and international standards.

He warned that continued neglect, especially the failure to address his worsening tinnitus and potassium instability, could put his life at risk. His appeal to the NMA, he said, was not only about his survival but also about the integrity of the medical profession in Nigeria.