My Life Remains In D∆nger’: Nnamdi Kanu Petitions MDCN, Alleges DSS Harassing Doctors Who Treated Him
‘My Life Remains In Danger’: Nnamdi Kanu Petitions MDCN, Alleges DSS Harassing Doctors Who Treated Him
Kanu said the petition was submitted “with a deep sense of urgency and grave concern” to document what he described as medical neglect, alleged falsification of medical records, and the continued intimidation of his physicians.
The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has petitioned the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), alleging systematic harassment and intimidation of his independent medical team while raising fresh concerns over his health and medical care since his conviction.
In the petition dated August 1, 2026, from the Sokoto Correctional Centre and addressed to the Registrar of the MDCN, Kanu alleged that he suffered medical neglect while in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) and accused the agency of targeting doctors who treated him.
Kanu said the petition was submitted “with a deep sense of urgency and grave concern” to document what he described as medical neglect, alleged falsification of medical records, and the continued intimidation of his physicians.
The IPOB leader said, “This petition is submitted to the above-named authorities and agencies to formally document: The systematic medical neglect I suffered while in DSS custody; the alleged falsification of my medical records by DSS-appointed doctors; the ongoing harassment, intimidation, and legal persecution of my independent medical team, led by Emeritus Professor Dr. Martin Aghaji, including the abduction of Prof. Aghaji and the summoning of Dr. Charles Ndukwu by the MDCN.”
Kanu maintained that issues surrounding his court-ordered medical examination are already before the Court of Appeal and are not the subject of the petition.
He stated, “The matter concerning the court-ordered medical examination is now before the Court of Appeal and is sub judice. I am not seeking to relitigate that matter here-I am seeking to stop the harassment of my physicians and ensure my access to independent medical care.”
The IPOB leader further argued that despite no longer being in DSS custody, the alleged intimidation of his doctors has continued.
KANU
Kanu said an independent medical team led by Emeritus Professor Martin Aghaji conducted a comprehensive medical evaluation and diagnosed him with multiple conditions, including poorly controlled hypertension, critical hypokalemia, enlarged prostate, brain white matter disease, sleep apnea, chronic maxillary sinusitis, cardiac abnormalities, tinnitus and a painful mass requiring surgical excision.
He claimed his health improved after treatment by the team.
The petition states: “Under the care of Prof. Aghaji and his team, my potassium level rose from 2.1 to 2.9 mmol/L- still below safe levels but a clear sign of genuine medical progress. My episodes of nosebleeds, fainting, light-headedness, and swollen feet ceased. The headaches subsided to an occasional level. Without their intervention, my health would have deteriorated beyond recovery.”
Kanu also accused the DSS of misrepresenting the actions of Professor Aghaji in a letter sent to the MDCN.
According to the petition, the DSS letter accused the physician of unethical practices and questioned changes made to Kanu’s treatment.
Kanu wrote, “This letter is not a genuine complaint about medical ethics. It is a deliberate attempt to discredit and punish the doctor who exposed the systemic failures in my medical care while in DSS custody.”
He further alleged that members of his medical team had been subjected to a coordinated campaign of intimidation.
The petition alleged that his longtime personal physician, identified as Dr. Cifne, was denied access to him, while Professor Aghaji was placed under investigation by the MDCN after a complaint by the DSS and was later abducted by men believed to be DSS operatives.
It also stated that Dr. Charles Ndukwu had been summoned by the MDCN Investigation Panel.
According to Kanu, “This is no longer an isolated case against one physician. It is a coordinated campaign to intimidate, investigate, and sanction every member of the independent medical team that documented the truth of my medical condition and the alleged negligence during my DSS detention.”
Kanu also faulted the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), saying it had failed to respond to a complaint he submitted in September 2025.
He wrote, “To date, this complaint has received no response. The NMA has failed to act on a formal complaint from a critically ill prisoner, despite clear evidence of medical negligence, falsification of records, and harassment of independent physicians. This silence is complicity.”
He insisted that his petition does not seek to reopen issues before the Court of Appeal.
According to the petition, “I am not seeking to relitigate that matter in this petition. The issues I raise here are separate and distinct.”
Kanu listed those issues as the alleged harassment of his medical team, the failure to provide him with adequate medical care under the Nigerian Correctional Service Act and the Mandela Rules, and the NMA’s failure to respond to his complaint.
The IPOB leader also claimed that his health remains at risk because his medical conditions have not been adequately addressed since his conviction.
He wrote, “I remain in grave danger. The conditions documented by my independent medical team have not been adequately addressed.”
He specifically highlighted tinnitus-induced sleep deprivation, stating that “Sleep deprivation, combined with existing hypertension, organ strain, and potassium instability, places me in immediate danger of stroke, collapse, or sudden death.”
Kanu argued that responsibility for his healthcare now rests with the Nigerian Correctional Service.
According to the petition, “The Nigerian Correctional Service now bears the statutory duty under the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019 and the Mandela Rules (UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners) to ensure my access to adequate healthcare, including treatment by physicians of my choice, and to protect me from any form of intimidation or reprisal. This duty is not being fulfilled.”
Among other demands, Kanu asked the Nigerian Correctional Service to assume full responsibility for his healthcare, provide him unrestricted access to his chosen medical team and transfer him to a medical facility capable of managing his health conditions.
He also urged the DSS to cease what he described as harassment of his doctors and explain the alleged abduction and detention of Professor Aghaji.
The petition further called on the MDCN to suspend its investigation into Professor Aghaji, withdraw the summons issued to Dr. Charles Ndukwu and investigate the alleged falsification of his medical records by DSS-appointed doctors.
Kanu also asked the NMA to respond to his September 29, 2025 complaint and called on the Attorney-General of the Federation to order an independent investigation into the alleged harassment of his doctors.
According to the petition, copies were sent to the United States Secretary of State, the British Foreign Secretary, Israel’s Foreign Minister, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, the National Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other institutions.
Kanu alleged that the campaign against his doctors had continued after his conviction.
He wrote, “The harassment of my independent medical team is no longer a dispute about pre-trial detention conditions. It is now a post-conviction campaign of reprisal that involves multiple state agencies acting outside their legal authority.”
He added, “The abduction of Prof. Martin Aghaji is a criminal act that demands immediate investigation and prosecution. The summoning of Dr. Charles Ndukwu confirms that this is a systematic effort to silence and punish every member of the medical team that documented the truth about my medical condition.”
Kanu further stated, “My formal complaint to the NMA dated September 29, 2025, remains unanswered. My life remains in danger from untreated conditions, particularly tinnitus-induced sleep deprivation.”
“The Nigerian Correctional Service now bears the primary legal and moral duty to ensure my health and safety. Any further interference by the DSS, the MDCN, or other agencies must be treated as a violation of the law and a threat to the rule of law,” he said.
“I call upon all authorities to act with the urgency and integrity this situation demands. My life, and the lives of the brave physicians who have risked everything to save it, depend on it.”
