Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Nigeria Democratic Congress, recently denounced the arrest and later release of Professor Martin Aghaji. He characterized the event as a discouraging sign of how little the rule of law and human rights are currently valued in the nation.
Sharing his thoughts on X this past Saturday, Obi highlighted the ordeal of the 74-year-old cardiothoracic surgeon, known for providing medical care to IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu. Reports indicate that security forces raided the professor’s Enugu home at 2 a.m., taking him into custody in front of his daughter despite never having reached out to him beforehand.
Obi emphasized that such a distinguished academic and surgeon should have been handled with respect. After being moved to Lagos and held for three days, Aghaji was released with an official apology citing a mistake. The former Anambra State governor noted that this incident illustrates a troubling trend where security services disregard professional status and personal dignity.
He cautioned that such actions against elite professionals threaten to accelerate brain drain and damage the healthcare sector. Drawing a parallel to a previous standoff between the Nigeria Medical Association and authorities in Akwa Ibom, Obi urged the government to act with more civility, warning that treating citizens like criminals erodes the foundation of justice in Nigeria.
