Tension Rises as Kanu Lands in Sokoto Prison

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has been transferred from the Department of State Services (DSS) custody in Abuja to a correctional facility in Sokoto, a development that has sparked concern from his former lawyer and consultant, Aloy Ejimakor.

Ejimakor, who revealed the transfer in a statement shared on X on Friday, questioned the motive behind relocating Kanu to a prison hundreds of kilometres away from his legal team, family, and supporters.

Calling for calm, he wrote:

“While urging Ndigbo to remain calm, I must question the wisdom of sending MNK to Sokoto prison. When Awolowo was convicted in 1963, he was sent to the East, a neutral zone in his feud with the North. President Tinubu can still halt this drift.”

Kanu, who has faced a long-running prosecution since his 2015 arrest, was on Thursday handed multiple life sentences by the Federal High Court in Abuja on terrorism-related charges. Justice James Omotosho sentenced him to life imprisonment on five counts, 20 years on one count, and five years on another — all without an option of fine.

Explaining the transfer, the judge had earlier warned that keeping Kanu in Kuje Correctional Centre might pose security risks due to his influence and the potential for unrest, suggesting the need for a more secure and controlled environment.

Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), who prosecuted the case for the Federal Government, applauded the court’s decision, saying the sentence sends a clear message that the law spares no one.

Meanwhile, IPOB has dismissed the judgment as unlawful and politically driven, vowing to challenge it as Kanu begins life behind bars in a new, distant location.