Nnamdi Kanu’s Health Report Delays Court Trial as Federal High Court Adjourns to October 16

Update on Nnamdi Kanu’s Health Status Emerges in Court

The ongoing trial of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), took another procedural turn on October 8, 2025, as the Federal High Court in Abuja adjourned proceedings to October 16 amid delays in a critical medical report. During the session before Justice James Omotosho, Kanu’s legal team renewed urgent pleas for access to independent medical care, highlighting his alleged deteriorating health in Department of State Services (DSS) custody. The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), tasked with evaluating Kanu’s condition, informed the court that its panel had yet to finalize its assessment, stalling the terrorism trial and intensifying calls from IPOB supporters and human rights groups for his release or transfer to a hospital. This development, reported across major outlets like Sahara Reporters and Channels Television, underscores the protracted nature of Kanu’s four-year detention and its intersection with Nigeria’s broader human rights discourse. This article examines the court proceedings, the health concerns at stake, the NMA’s role, and the wider implications for justice and separatism in the South-East.

Court Proceedings:

 Adjournment Amid Procedural Hurdles

The October 8 hearing at the Federal High Court in Abuja commenced with Kanu’s appearance, marking a continuation of his trial on seven counts of terrorism and treasonable felony following the Supreme Court’s 2023 reversal of an appellate acquittal.b9bcc5 Justice Omotosho, presiding over the matter, had previously ordered the NMA on September 26 to form an independent panel of 8-10 experts to investigate Kanu’s health claims and assess DSS facilities.ee5841 However, government counsel Suraj S’aad (SAN) revealed that the NMA had contacted the prosecution stating the report was incomplete, prompting a request for a one-week extension.a0e69d Defense lawyer Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) raised no objections, and the judge granted the adjournment to October 16 for the report’s submission, emphasizing the primacy of Kanu’s right to health.49c16c

Kanu’s special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, confirmed the developments via X, noting Kanu’s arrival and the judge’s presence, while IPOB issued a pre-hearing statement rejecting any “purported” NMA report as unconstitutional and inadmissible under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) Section 46(1), which mandates court-supervised examinations.82b283 Social media buzz on X, including posts from @NTANewsNow and @TheNationNews, amplified the adjournment, with users decrying the delays as evidence of judicial foot-dragging in a case that has spanned over 15 court dates since 2021.5dc5feb40c2b The session, absent major disruptions, highlighted the trial’s reliance on medical clearance before proceeding to Kanu’s defense phase.

Renewed Health Concerns and Legal Pleas

Kanu’s lawyers have persistently argued that his prolonged detention since his 2021 rendition from Kenya has exacerbated pre-existing conditions, including low potassium levels, liver and pancreatic issues, and a lump under his armpit, as detailed in prior medical affidavits.71ea98 In an ex parte motion, the defense sought his transfer to the National Hospital Abuja for comprehensive care, accusing the DSS of inadequate facilities and restricted access to personal physicians.b92d63 Ejimakor, in statements to Sahara Reporters, stressed that the lack of transparency in Kanu’s medical evaluations violates his rights, potentially rendering the trial unfair.2b042e

IPOB echoed these sentiments, labeling the NMA’s process as biased and concealed, in breach of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act Section 23(1), which demands patient transparency.cf1498 Kanu’s brother, Prince Emmanuel, witnessed the NMA’s September 23 evaluation but reported no subsequent report delivery despite assurances.62eaec Human rights advocates, including Amnesty International, have amplified these concerns on X, framing Kanu’s health as a humanitarian crisis amid Nigeria’s 32.15% inflation and security challenges.61c2d8 The defense’s push for independent doctors underscores a broader narrative of state overreach in handling separatist figures.

The NMA Panel’s Delayed Assessment

The NMA’s involvement stems from Justice Omotosho’s September 26 directive, forming a neutral third-party panel to verify Kanu’s ailments and DSS adequacy, avoiding partiality in the dispute between prosecution claims of sufficient care and defense allegations of neglect.e5579a The association’s September 23 examination, conducted three days prior, was intended to inform whether Kanu requires relocation or if DSS custody suffices.2f353c However, as of October 8, the report remained pending, prompting the extension and drawing criticism from IPOB for ethical lapses in withholding findings from Kanu.644b45

Ejimakor disclosed writing to the NMA for a copy pre-court order, highlighting transparency issues.2f55ab X posts from @cinnaija and @PlatinumPostNg reflected public frustration, with users questioning the panel’s impartiality given government ties.c8b7dd0e518e The NMA’s delay, while logistical, risks politicizing a medical matter, as noted in BBC Pidgin reports, potentially eroding trust in institutional interventions.d415d5

Broader Implications for Justice and Separatism

Kanu’s case, emblematic of Nigeria’s separatist tensions, intertwines health rights with the IPOB’s Biafran self-determination push, banned as a terrorist group in 2017. The adjournment delays his defense opening, prolonging a trial that has invoked international scrutiny from the UN and ECOWAS.d12382 South-East governors, including Abia’s Alex Otti, have advocated political solutions, predicting Kanu’s “soon” freedom on October 4.ed3384 Activists like Omoyele Sowore urge mass action, daring South-East leaders to march on Aso Rock.2ac49e

As public focus intensifies—evident in X trends like #FreeMaziNnamdiKanu—the October 16 report could pivot the trial toward bail, transfer, or continuation, influencing opposition dynamics ahead of 2027.ecac6f For Kanu, aged 57 and detained since June 2021, the outcome tests Nigeria’s commitment to due process amid economic strains, potentially easing or exacerbating South-East unrest if perceived as unjust.

News source: naijanews, BBC news