Feature: Nnamdi Kanu and the endless tale of ‘failing health’
By: Zagazola Makama
If Nigerian Civic affairs were a Nollywood series, Nnamdi Kanu’s “health drama” would easily win the award for Longest Running Episode with the Same Plot.
Once again, the camp of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has raised the alarm that his health is deteriorating. Nigerians are urged to panic, international groups are to take note, and the courts are apparently expected to roll out the red carpet for another round of bail.
But for many observers, this is simply a replay of 2017 the year Kanu was granted bail on health grounds, only to “teleport” out of the country before anyone could say treasonable felony.
Those who have followed the case describe the tactic as a “health-for-freedom formula.” It works like this: Step one, declare you’re unwell. Step two, get medical sympathy. Step three, vanish.
Curiously, Kanu has reportedly dismissed more doctors than a Nigerian football club has sacked coaches. Each time a doctor issues him a clean bill of health, the doctor suddenly loses his job.
“Were they fake doctors? Or did they just fail to act the script?” one Abuja lawyer asked with a chuckle.
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) insists he is being well cared for medically, nutritionally, and even spiritually if he so wishes. His personal doctors have also had access to him. But somehow, the narrative of “imminent collapse” resurfaces whenever a court date draws near.
To add spice to the drama, supporters claim that Kanu has been overdosed or that his life is in danger. Observers, however, dismiss such claims as “Netflix thrillers,” noting that if there were indeed a secret plot to eliminate him, keeping him alive and healthy for years seems like a very strange strategy.
What worries security watchers is not Kanu’s health but his history. When previously granted bail, he did not exactly stay behind to prove his innocence. Instead, he became an international director of violent agitation, broadcasting instability from afar.
“Granting him bail again is like lending your car to someone who has crashed it before, with no driver’s license, and expecting a smooth ride,” one commentator remarked.
For the judiciary, the case has become more than legal proceedings. Judges are being asked to balance not just law, but public good, stability, and common sense.
The larger question remains: Will Nigeria witness another vanishing act, or will the courts decide that the script has become too predictable for another season?
For now, the audience watches closely, popcorn in hand, waiting to see whether this latest “health crisis” is genuine or just another rehearsal for the old escape routine.
After all, as one observer quipped, “If Nnamdi Kanu is ever discharged on medical grounds again, don’t bother looking in Enugu or Abuja check the first available escape route abroad.”
