Prof Martin Aghaji Arrested in Enugu Over Nnamdi Kanu Report

Emeritus Professor Martin Aghaji arrested in Enugu after issuing Nnamdi Kanu medical report contradicting DSS

Enugu was thrown into quiet tension on Saturday after news broke that a senior medical professor connected to the Nnamdi Kanu case had been arrested.

Human rights lawyer, Barrister Maxwell Okpara, said Emeritus Professor Martin Aghaji was picked up at his residence in Independence Layout, Enugu, on Friday, July 3, 2026.

Okpara made the disclosure in a statement, describing the arrest as troubling and calling for urgent action from professional bodies.

Who is Prof Aghaji?

Professor Aghaji is a well-known name in the ongoing trial. He is a retired professor of medicine from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, who served as one of Kanu's private medical consultants.

He is also a former consultant cardio-thoracic surgeon at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH, Enugu.

The medical report that contradicted DSS

Aghaji's independent assessment had recommended the immediate transfer of the IPOB leader to the National Hospital or a foreign facility because of his deteriorating health.

That position clashed directly with the Department of State Services. The DSS medical team, led by Dr Mohammed Nasir, told the Federal High Court in Abuja that Kanu could be properly treated inside DSS custody without moving him to a national hospital.

Okpara said Aghaji's report is believed to be the reason for his sudden arrest, though no official charge has been announced.

Lawyer calls NMA, NBA to intervene

In his statement, Okpara urged the Nigerian Medical Association, the Nigerian Bar Association, and civil society groups to step in.

"We call on the Nigerian Medical Association, Nigeria Bar Association, civil society group and other relevant authorities to ensure that due process and the rule of law is strictly observed and nobody should be intimidated for speaking the truth," he said.

He insisted that medical experts must be allowed to give independent opinions without fear of harassment.

As of Saturday afternoon, neither the Enugu State Police Command nor the DSS has confirmed the arrest or given reasons for it.

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, has been in DSS custody since 2021. His health has remained a major point of dispute between his lawyers and the federal government during his terrorism trial in Abuja.