VIDEO: Court Reserves Ruling on Kanu’s Request for Medical Transfer to National Hospital

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday stood down proceedings in the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to deliver a ruling on a motion seeking his transfer to the National Hospital, Abuja, for medical treatment.

The motion was argued by Kanu’s counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, who told the court that a medical report prepared by Professor of Medicine, Austin Agaji, confirmed that Kanu required urgent treatment at the National Hospital.

But Federal Government’s counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, opposed the application, citing a counter-affidavit filed on September 15.

Awomolo argued that the Department of State Services (DSS) had complied with all previous court orders regarding Kanu’s welfare, including granting him access to his lawyers, family members, and medical practitioners of his choice.

“Your lordship made an order that the defendant should be allowed to see any of his relations, any doctor of his choice and his lawyers. All these were obeyed,” Awomolo said, adding that Kanu had also been allowed visits to medical facilities.

He insisted that transferring Kanu to the National Hospital would pose a security risk, describing him as a “flight risk” whose presence could endanger patients if the hospital were attacked.

Awomolo further dismissed Prof. Agaji’s medical report as exaggerated and lacking credibility, noting that the consultant neither works at the National Hospital nor provided evidence that Kanu’s current treatment was inadequate.

To ensure impartiality, he said the DSS had set up a seven-member panel of medical experts from the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to independently assess Kanu’s health within one week.

When asked by the judge if he would accept such an independent evaluation, Ikpeazu responded that he would cooperate if the court formally issued the order.

Justice Omotosho then reserved his ruling on the matter after both sides adopted their arguments.

Opinion Nigeria News