Families of some of the military personnel and civilians currently standing trial before a General Court-Martial over an alleged coup plot have raised fresh concerns over the deteriorating health of the detainees, alleging that the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) has continued to deny them access to independent medical care despite repeated appeals.
The families, alongside some of the detainees’ wives, spoke to SaharaReporters on Wednesday morning, warning that several of those in custody are suffering worsening medical conditions and could face preventable emergencies if urgent intervention is not made.
According to them, the detainees have repeatedly complained of persistent severe headaches, frequent dizziness, constant nausea, extreme weakness and fatigue, while some have reportedly collapsed during court proceedings.
“Despite repeated appeals and growing concerns over their physical condition, they have still not been granted access to independent medical doctors who can objectively assess and treat their worsening health conditions,” the families said.
“This continued denial has only heightened our fears that preventable medical emergencies may occur if urgent intervention is not made.”
They said the reported symptoms are not isolated incidents but recurring conditions affecting several of the detainees.
“Our husbands continue to report persistent and worsening symptoms, including constant severe headaches, frequent dizziness, persistent nausea, extreme weakness and fatigue, and episodes of collapse, including during court proceedings,” they said.
“These are not isolated complaints but recurring conditions affecting several of the detainees, raising serious concerns about their wellbeing and fitness to continue enduring prolonged detention under their current conditions.”
The families also alleged that signal-jamming equipment had been installed underground near the detention facility where the suspects are being held, claiming that many of the detainees began experiencing worsening health problems after the installation.
According to them, although they cannot conclusively establish a connection between the equipment and the symptoms, the timing of the complaints warrants an independent investigation.
“Equally troubling are reports that signal-jamming equipment has been installed underground in close proximity to their detention area,” they said.
“Since its installation, many of the detainees have complained of worsening headaches, dizziness, nausea, and general physical discomfort.
“While we are not in a position to determine whether these symptoms are directly linked to the equipment, the timing of these complaints and their widespread occurrence among the detainees warrant an urgent, independent medical and technical assessment to determine whether their detention environment poses any health risks.”
The families described as disturbing reports that some of the detained officers had become so weak that they collapsed during proceedings before the court-martial.
“It is deeply distressing that some of these officers have become so physically unwell that they have collapsed during court proceedings, a public indication that their health is rapidly deteriorating,” they said.
“No individual awaiting the determination of his case should be subjected to conditions that place his life or long-term health in jeopardy.”
They called on the military authorities to immediately permit unrestricted access to independent medical practitioners chosen by the detainees’ families, conduct an independent assessment of the detention environment, transfer seriously ill detainees to properly equipped hospitals and uphold the constitutional presumption of innocence.
The families further alleged that the General Court-Martial had already ordered that the detainees be transferred to a safer and more suitable detention facility but that the Defence Intelligence Agency had refused to comply with the directive.
According to them, the refusal may be aimed at retaining control over the detainees and limiting external scrutiny.
“The court-martial has given an order for them to be moved to a safer and more suitable environment but the DIA have refused to comply with the court order, probably because they don’t want to lose control of the situation should they be moved out of their facility,” one of the family members told SaharaReporters.
The families added that military authorities had suggested the Department of State Services (DSS) detention facility as an alternative but insisted that their lawyers should be granted access to inspect both facilities and determine which would better protect the rights and wellbeing of their clients.
“They claimed that the DSS facility is even worse. What we want is for our lawyers to be allowed access to both facilities so they can determine which would be more suitable for their clients,” the family member added.
The latest allegations come barely weeks after SaharaReporters exclusively reported fresh claims of torture, starvation and degrading treatment by families of some of the 36 military personnel standing trial over an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s government.
In that report, wives of several detainees alleged that their husbands had suffered dramatic weight loss after being subjected to prolonged starvation, poor feeding and confinement in an underground detention facility.
They claimed that some of the officers were initially denied food for about four days and survived only on water.
The families also alleged that repeated shutdowns of the underground facility’s ventilation system as a form of punishment contributed to respiratory illnesses, high blood pressure, deteriorating eyesight and other serious medical complications among the detainees. Â
(SaharaReporters)