By: Sunday Ameh
The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has accused the Nigerian government of deliberately keeping him in custody until his health deteriorates beyond recovery, saying the authorities plan to release him only when he is close to death.
Speaking to journalists on Friday shortly after his court session at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Kanu revealed that he is battling congestive heart failure and other severe medical complications, which have worsened due to his prolonged detention by the Department of State Services (DSS).
“I have congestive heart failure. From the medication, you can tell. They are basically trying to keep me alive so that when they calculate that my heart is about to pack up, they will then say I should go, so that when I go outside, I will die outside,” Kanu lamented.
The IPOB leader, who was rearrested and extradited from Kenya in June 2021, said the medications he is receiving in custody are ineffective, adding that his health has continued to deteriorate under the care of DSS doctors.
“The medication they have been giving me is not working. If it is working, why should I have lumps under my armpits?” he asked.
Kanu’s lawyer, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, and his legal team have repeatedly raised alarm over their client’s worsening condition, insisting that he requires urgent, independent medical attention beyond what is available in DSS facilities.
During previous court appearances, the defence team told the court that Kanu’s continued detention has aggravated his cardiac issues and hypertension, causing recurring chest pain, dizziness, and difficulty sleeping.
Despite multiple court orders directing that he be granted access to external medical care, the Nigerian authorities have allegedly failed to comply. Rights groups, including Amnesty International and the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, have also called for his unconditional release, citing violations of his fundamental rights.
Kanu was discharged and acquitted by the Court of Appeal in October 2022, which ruled that his extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria was unlawful. However, the Supreme Court reversed that judgment in December 2023, allowing his trial to continue at the Federal High Court.
His lawyers have since maintained that his ongoing prosecution is politically motivated and aimed at silencing him permanently.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has come under criticism for declaring Kanu fit to stand trial, despite acknowledging several health complications in its report. Ejimakor accused the body of compromise, alleging that the NMA never examined Kanu before submitting its findings to the court.
“They are simply trying to use a fake medical report to justify continued detention,” Ejimakor stated.
As the trial drags on, concerns are mounting that the health of the IPOB leader is deteriorating rapidly. Supporters and civil society organisations have warned that the government will be held responsible if anything happens to him while in detention.
“This is no longer prosecution; it is persecution,” a member of Kanu’s legal team said. “The government seems determined to break him physically and mentally.”
Kanu’s next court appearance is expected to continue with his defence on Monday, amid renewed calls for his release and access to proper medical care.
Leave a Reply