The lead personal physician to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has warned that the sudden transfer of his patient to the Sokoto Correctional Facility, less than 24 hours after his conviction, poses grave and potentially life-threatening medical risks.
Kanu, who was convicted and sentenced by the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, was moved from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) to the far-northern correctional centre in Sokoto on November 21.
The transfer has heightened concerns among his medical team, family, and supporters, who fear the relocation will worsen his health condition.
In a letter dated November 19, 2025, and addressed to President Bola Tinubu, a copy of which was made available to THE WHISTLER on Saturday, Kanu’s personal physician, Prof. M. A. C. Aghaji, described the relocation as abrupt, troubling, and medically dangerous, especially coming immediately after the separatist leader’s conviction.
“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,” he wrote to the President.
The doctor explained that Kanu has been under specialised and intensive medical care throughout his detention at the DSS medical facility in Abuja.
According to him, the health challenges faced by Kanu prompted the DSS to move him from its headquarters at Aso Drive to the DSS Hospital on Airport Road for better observation.
Prof. Aghaji said his team evaluates Kanu three times a week at the DSS Hospital and checks his blood profile – particularly the serum potassium level – every other week.
He added that these procedures are mandatory because Kanu “runs a very low serum potassium level, the cause of which is yet to be established,” noting that the IPOB leader takes daily potassium tablets as a stop-gap measure.
The physician stressed that maintaining this level of care in Sokoto is impossible. He warned that relocating Kanu to such a distant facility without access to his medical team puts his life at risk.
“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.
Prof. Aghaji further highlighted the logistical challenges, noting that Sokoto is over 600 kilometres away from Abuja and extremely difficult to access regularly for the required medical evaluations.
“His transfer to Sokoto effectively severs Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from this essential medical support system,” he said.
“If the three times weekly evaluation is severed, he has a high risk of complications that may affect his life,” he warned.
Appealing for urgent intervention, the physician urged President Tinubu and the Nigerian Correctional Service to reverse the decision and return Kanu to a location where he can access the critical medical care he needs.
“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 transfer came hours after the Federal High Court convicted him on charges related to terrorism, incitement, and managing an unlawful group.
His brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, who spoke on behalf of the family in a statement shared on Friday with THE WHISTLER, rejected the relocation, raising the alarm that “they want Kanu dead.”
Also, his conviction and relocation were rejected by traditional rulers from Abia State, who urged the president to immediately consider political solutions to the issue.
While his legal team is expected to appeal the ruling, the doctor emphasised that regardless of the legal proceedings, Kanu’s medical needs must not be compromised.
He assured the President of his willingness to provide any additional clarification needed, saying, “Do not hesitate to contact me if you need any clarification.”
