The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has rejected the Nigerian Medical Association’s (NMA) report, which declared its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, fit to continue his trial, describing the document as a “political script” allegedly written by the Attorney-General of the Federation.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the separatist group accused the NMA of complicity and demanded that it “clarify its role and disown the forged report.”
Powerful said any medical document being circulated as evidence of Kanu’s fitness to stand trial was “a fraud and a forgery,” urging the Federal High Court to disregard it and order a fresh, independent medical examination by an internationally recognised panel.
“The IPOB condemns in the strongest possible terms the judicial absurdity that played out today before Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja,” Powerful said. “What transpired today was not justice, but a shameful display of executive manipulation dressed up as judicial reasoning.”
He claimed that Justice James Omotosho’s ruling — which relied on a medical report allegedly issued by the NMA — marked “one of the darkest moments in Nigeria’s judicial history.”
“Let it be made abundantly clear to the world,” he said. “The NMA never examined Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. The so-called report was not a medical document but a political script concocted by the Attorney-General of the Federation, who arrogated to himself the powers of both a court and a physician.”
Following an earlier order by the court on September 26, the NMA had been directed to conduct an independent medical assessment of Kanu after his lawyers applied for him to be moved from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) to the National Hospital for urgent treatment.
However, IPOB maintains that the NMA never carried out any such examination. “The NMA failed to tender any report before the court on the date of the order,” Powerful said. “Instead, they handed a piece of paper to the AGF, who in turn ‘interpreted’ it for the judge. This is an insult to judicial integrity.”
He urged the international community to “take note of the erosion of judicial independence in Nigeria,” calling the ruling “another nail in the coffin of justice.”
Earlier on Thursday, the NMA told Justice Omotosho that Kanu’s ailment was “not life-threatening.” The medical panel, constituted by the association’s president, said it had concluded its assessment and found Kanu fit to stand trial.
Justice Omotosho, relying on the NMA’s findings and without objection from either party, ruled that Kanu should continue to receive treatment within DSS custody and proceed with his defence.
The court granted the IPOB leader six consecutive days, from October 23 to 30, to open and close his defence, while also approving a private consultation between Kanu and his legal team in court on October 22.
The case was adjourned to October 23 for continuation of trial.
