Martin Aghaji, the personal physician to Nnamdi Kanu, the convicted leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been arrested by Nigerian security operatives. Aloy Ejimakor, Mr Kanu’s lawyer, announced the arrest in a post on X on Saturday. Mr Kanu is currently serving a life imprisonment sentence in Sokoto State after a federal high court in Abuja convicted him on terrorism charges in November.
Arrest details and connection to medical report
Mr Ejimakor stated that Mr Aghaji, a retired professor, was arrested at his residence in Enugu State on Friday. Although the lawyer did not specify which agency carried out the arrest, he suggested it was linked to a medical report issued by the doctor on Mr Kanu that contradicted a similar report by the State Security Service (SSS). “This is the height of the official harassment he has been facing since he issued the medical report that did not comport with the SSS’s medical report on Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” Mr Ejimakor said.
Violent arrest and transfer to Lagos
In a subsequent post on Sunday evening, the lawyer provided further details, claiming that security operatives stormed Mr Aghaji’s residence at about 3:00 a.m., violently pulled down his gate, and forcibly gained entry into the apartment. “During the commotion, shots were fired. They’ve now taken him to Lagos,” he stated.
Release following NMA intervention
Later on Sunday night, Mr Ejimakor announced that Mr Aghaji had been released from detention following the intervention of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and other bodies. “While welcoming this development, the SSS is hereby admonished to do better than this,” he said, implying that the secret police were behind the arrest.
SSS confirms arrest but denies Kanu link
When contacted on Monday, the SSS spokesperson, Favour Dozie, confirmed that the secret police arrested Mr Aghaji from his residence in Enugu. However, she denied any connection to Mr Kanu or IPOB. “He was arrested, but not in connection with Nnamdi Kanu,” she said, declining to provide further details as the matter was under investigation. She stressed that the retired professor’s arrest could not be linked to Mr Kanu because the IPOB leader had already been convicted and is serving his jail term.
Administrative bail and alleged financial transactions
Ms Dozie confirmed that Mr Aghaji was granted administrative bail and released to the NMA leadership in Lagos State on Sunday after providing a credible surety. An SSS official, speaking anonymously, later told PREMIUM TIMES that the arrest was due to alleged financial transactions with high-profile criminals under investigation. “He was even sorry about it when he was informed of the transactions he made. The man himself felt very stupid,” the official said.
