Mr. Nnamdi Kanu is granted access to his personal doctors.
The development followed a court judgment stating that the detained IPOP leader is entitled to access his physicians under the Nigerian Constitution.
According to Ifeanyi Ejiofor, counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, head of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the IPOB leader has finally had his medical checkup.
Mr. Ejiofor said in a statement on Saturday that Mr. Kanu had a medical examination on Friday at an unnamed hospital in Abuja.
"...We are pleased to inform you that Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu met with his preferred personal physician yesterday (Friday) in an Abuja hospital outside the State Security Service (SSS) facility," he added.
"I witnessed the consultation as part of the protocol." The medical examination was "smooth and productive," according to the lawyer, and "he (Kanu) will be progressing to the next stage soon."
Mr. Kanu, who is on trial for terrorism at the Federal High Court in Abuja, has been imprisoned at the SSS facility since his re-arrest in June 2021.
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Background
Mr. Kanu has consistently requested access to his medical doctors since 2022 in order to undertake an independent medical assessment, as previously directed by the Federal High Court in Abuja on October 20, 2021.
However, the SSS refused to allow the separatist leader to have a private medical checkup.
Mr. Kanu, enraged by the SSS's behavior, sued the SSS in Federal High Court Abuja through his lead counsel, Mike Ozekhome.
The IPOB leader asked the court in the suit FHC/ABJ/CS/2341/2022 for an order providing him unrestricted access to medical doctors of his choice for his health condition.
The SSS, represented by A.M. Danladi, sought the court to dismiss the suit, claiming that data showed the IPOB leader was "clinically stable."
The secret police claimed that Mr. Kanu received proper medical care at their facilities.
However, in her ruling on July 20, the court, Binta Nyako, ordered the SSS to provide Mr Kanu with access to his medical data and doctors of his choosing.
The secret police claimed that Mr. Kanu received proper medical care at their facilities.
However, in her ruling on July 20, the court, Binta Nyako, ordered the SSS to provide Mr Kanu with access to his medical data and doctors of his choosing.
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Ms. Nyako based her decision on Section 7 of the Anti-Torture Act of 2017, which states that after interrogation, a person arrested, detained, or undergoing custodial investigation has the right to demand a physical and psychological examination by an independent and competent doctor of his own choice.
According to the court, Mr. Kanu has a constitutional right to his medical data and personal physicians for "an independent medical examination."
It said that the SSS should oversee the independent medical examination and that the entire process should be recorded and sealed for security reasons.