A military cardiologist, Life Ajemba, has warned that hypertension, prolonged stress, and inadequate sleep could increase the risk of cardiovascular disease among serving military personnel and veterans.

Mr Ajemba, a major-general, said hypertension remains one of the most common cardiovascular conditions among serving personnel and military retirees.

Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja, he urged military personnel and veterans to prioritise their heart health through regular medical checks, physical exercise, healthy diets and adequate rest.

He cited studies which showed that hypertension accounted for 15.31 per cent of cases treated among mainly military retirees between 2015 and 2020.

He also referenced another study which found a hypertension prevalence of 34.3 per cent among military personnel.

He noted that major risk factors included alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking, family history of cardiovascular disease and being overweight.

According to him, the demanding nature of military service could also increase cardiovascular risks due to physical stress, psychological trauma, irregular schedules and inadequate sleep.

“Military duties affect heart health through a combination of extreme physical stress, psychological trauma and environmental exposures that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease,” he said.

The military cardiologist explained that prolonged stress could increase the release of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, leading to increased heart rate and blood pressure.

He added that sleep deprivation, anxiety and other psychological pressures could further increase the risk of hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart attack and stroke.

Mr Ajemba stressed the importance of regular medical screening among military personnel, saying early detection could help identify silent conditions such as high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels and elevated blood sugar.

He said routine medical checks could include blood pressure and heart rate monitoring, blood tests, lipid profiles, electrocardiograms (ECGs), chest X-rays, and echocardiography where necessary.

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“Early detection ensures that soldiers receive treatment while remaining fit for duty, preventing medical evacuation and safeguarding their long-term health,” he said.

He also encouraged military personnel to maintain regular physical exercise, saying fitness helped reduce blood pressure, improve heart efficiency and increase resistance to operational fatigue.

Mr Ajemba, however, advised personnel to combine physical fitness with healthy eating, adequate rest and avoidance of smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.

He said maintaining a healthy lifestyle could help military personnel reduce cardiovascular risks and remain fit both during active service and after retirement.

(NAN)

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, Ogun State chapter has raised alarm over what it described as attempts to use the Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta to destabilise the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The State Publicity Secretary of the party, Olumide Onabajo, in a statement on Wednesday, expressed grave concern over proceedings in a suit instituted against the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in which candidates whose names had already been submitted and uploaded by INEC are being drawn into litigation.

ADC questioned the legal and factual basis for joining its candidates who were not parties to the original action, noting that the suit arose from complaints by aspirants over their disqualification during screening.

The party stressed that its candidates were not responsible for screening or disqualifying any aspirant, as screening is handled by appropriate organs of the party.

“We respectfully ask: on what legal and factual basis should candidates who were not parties to the original dispute suddenly be drawn into litigation arising from complaints by aspirants concerning their screening?” the statement queried.

The Ogun ADC warned that the Federal High Court must not become an instrument for destabilising the party, whether intentionally or inadvertently.

According to the party, it is becoming increasingly concerned about the frequency with which internal disagreements are being taken to court in a manner capable of creating instability.

“The Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta must not, whether intentionally or inadvertently, become an avenue through which individuals pursue political objectives that could destabilise our great party in Ogun State.

“Our concern is not an attack on the judiciary. Rather, it is an appeal for the judiciary to remain extremely vigilant so that the judicial process is not weaponised by political actors for purposes beyond the legitimate resolution of legal disputes,” it said.

The party urged the judiciary to protect democracy and not allow litigation to be used to create crisis within political parties, while reaffirming its respect for lawful court orders.

It called on its members, leaders, candidates and supporters across the state to remain calm, united and law-abiding, insisting that no individual ambition should be allowed to destroy the collective aspirations of thousands of ADC members.

The party said it would continue to utilise every legal avenue to protect its integrity, internal processes and the rights of its duly cleared candidates.