Emeritus Professor Martin Aghaji, the respected medical expert whose independent assessment reportedly challenged the Department of State Services’ (DSS) position on the health condition of detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, has allegedly been arrested in Enugu State, triggering fresh controversy over professional independence and civil liberties in Nigeria.
Human rights lawyer, Maxwell Opara, disclosed that the emeritus professor was picked up at his residence in Independence Layout, Enugu, on July 3, 2026, although no official reason has yet been given for the reported arrest.
The development has reignited tensions surrounding Kanu’s prolonged detention and the fierce legal battle over his medical condition, which became a major point of contention during proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
A Medical Battle That Divided The Courtroom
The controversy dates back to 2025 when conflicting medical reports emerged over Kanu’s health.
While DSS-appointed doctors maintained that his condition could be adequately managed within security custody, Professor Aghaji reportedly presented a sharply different assessment, warning that Kanu required urgent specialist treatment at the National Hospital in Abuja or even abroad.
The disagreement became so pronounced that the Federal High Court ordered the Nigerian Medical Association to conduct an independent review of Kanu’s health status in a bid to resolve the conflicting claims.
In petitions made public by his legal team, Kanu accused DSS medical personnel of concealing critical health information and falsifying test results, particularly concerning dangerously low potassium levels and other complications. He credited Professor Aghaji with stabilising his condition and preventing what he described as an imminent medical collapse.
According to the petitions, Aghaji’s intervention allegedly improved Kanu’s potassium levels and identified additional concerns involving his kidneys, liver, prostate, bladder and severe tinnitus, findings that reportedly differed from the official position maintained by state authorities.
Fresh Fears Over Intimidation
The reported arrest has now fuelled allegations that professionals who offer independent opinions in politically sensitive cases may be facing intimidation.
Opara called on the Nigerian Medical Association, the Nigerian Bar Association and civil society organisations to ensure that constitutional safeguards, due process and the rule of law are strictly upheld.
He warned that no citizen should be harassed or persecuted for expressing professional opinions or presenting evidence within the confines of the law.
As of press time, neither the DSS nor any other security agency had issued an official statement confirming or explaining the circumstances surrounding Aghaji’s reported arrest.
The incident has added another explosive chapter to the long-running controversy surrounding Kanu’s detention, raising difficult questions about medical ethics, professional autonomy and the limits of state power in matters that intersect with politics and national security.