Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has voiced grave concerns about his deteriorating health while in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), alleging negligence and manipulation of his medical records.
In a detailed letter addressed to the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Kanu disclosed that he is battling multiple life-threatening illnesses, with tinnitus and sleep deprivation being the most severe. He described tinnitus — a constant ringing in his ears — as a major threat to his survival, warning that it worsens his hypertension and places him at risk of stroke, collapse, or even sudden death.
“Among the gravest threats to my survival today is tinnitus. The incessant chirping in my ears robs me of sleep, heightens my hypertension, magnifies chest pain and fainting risks, and weakens my body’s ability to heal,” Kanu wrote in the letter titled “The Danger of Tinnitus and Sleep Deprivation.”
He revealed that DSS doctors once considered draining fluid from his inner ear but abandoned the plan due to the risk of permanent hearing loss. Since then, he claims no serious effort has been made to address the worsening condition.
Beyond tinnitus, Kanu listed other health challenges including liver, pancreas, kidney, bladder, prostate, and white matter disease, as well as sleep apnea. He stressed that sleep deprivation, combined with his existing health complications, “places me in immediate danger of stroke, collapse, or sudden death.”
The IPOB leader also accused a DSS physician, Dr. Nasiru Mohammed, of deliberately falsifying his medical reports, including his potassium test results. According to him, despite dangerously low potassium levels, the doctor continued prescribing potassium-sparing drugs without proper justification.
“Under his so-called care, I experienced frequent nosebleeds, fainting spells, unrelenting chest pains, headaches, swelling of the feet, and light-headedness,” Kanu alleged, noting that more than 50 blood samples have been taken since his detention without tangible improvement in his condition.
He further revealed that his personal physician, Dr. Cfine, who had treated him for decades, was barred from attending to him and intimidated into silence until the intervention of Emeritus Professor Martin Aghaji, a renowned surgeon.
According to Kanu, Professor Aghaji’s timely involvement helped stabilize his condition, modestly improving his potassium levels and alleviating symptoms such as nosebleeds, fainting, and swollen feet. However, he said the DSS has subjected Aghaji to the same pattern of intimidation previously used against Dr. Cfine.
Kanu warned that continued neglect of his medical needs amounts to a reckless disregard for his life, stressing that without external interventions, his health could deteriorate beyond recovery.
