The Lead Personal Physician to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Prof. M. A. C. Aghaji, has faulted the Federal Government’s decision to transfer his patient to the Sokoto Correctional Facility, warning that the move poses severe and potentially life-threatening risks to his health.
Kanu, who was convicted by the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, was moved from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) to Sokoto on Friday, a development that has continued to provoke outrage among his family members, supporters, and medical team.
In a letter dated November 19, 2025, and addressed to President Bola Tinubu, the doctor described the relocation as abrupt, medically dangerous and ill-timed, coming barely 24 hours after the court ruling.
“As the Lead Personal Physician to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, I am compelled to raise the alarm over the abrupt and deeply troubling decision to relocate my patient from the Department of State Services (DSS) Abuja to a correctional centre in Sokoto,” the letter read in part.
Aghaji explained that Kanu had been under strict, specialised medical supervision at the DSS Hospital in Abuja, where he receives routine checks three times a week. According to him, his team also monitors Kanu’s blood profile—particularly his serum potassium level—every other week.
He noted that the IPOB leader suffers from critically low potassium levels, the cause of which remains unknown, and currently relies on daily potassium supplements as a temporary measure.
He warned that the Sokoto facility lacks the capacity to maintain the same level of medical oversight, stressing that the distance—over 600 kilometres from Abuja—makes consistent monitoring impossible.
“His medical team cannot monitor all these in Sokoto. His complex and chronic health conditions require consistent, expert oversight and immediate access to specialised treatment,” he cautioned.
The physician added that severing the regular evaluations exposes Kanu to “a high risk of complications that may affect his life,” urging the Nigerian Correctional Service and the Presidency to urgently reverse the transfer.
“For the sake of his health— which must remain paramount above all other considerations— I urgently call on the Nigerian Government and the Nigerian Correctional Service to immediately reconsider this decision,” he wrote.
Kanu’s family also condemned the transfer. His brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, in a statement issued on Friday, claimed the sudden relocation was a deliberate plot to endanger his brother’s life.
“They want Kanu dead,” he alleged.
Traditional rulers from Abia State have similarly rejected the development and appealed to the President to consider political solutions to the lingering case.
While his legal team is expected to appeal the court ruling, the doctor insisted that the ongoing legal battle must not overshadow Kanu’s urgent medical needs.
He assured the President of his readiness to provide further clarity, saying, “Do not hesitate to contact me if you need any clarification.”
