ABUJA, NIGERIA — Nnamdi Kanu, the convicted leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been relocated from the Department of State Services (DSS) detention facility in Abuja to a correctional center in Sokoto, according to his former lawyer and consultant, Aloy Ejimakor.
The surprising transfer comes just one day after a Federal High Court in Abuja handed down a life sentence to Kanu on Thursday for terrorism-related offences.
Relocation Raises Concern
Ejimakor took to X (formerly Twitter) on Friday to express his alarm over the move, stating that placing Kanu in a Sokoto facility effectively isolates him.
“While urging #Ndigbo to remain calm, I must question the wisdom of sending #MNK to Sokoto prison. The relocation places Kanu far from his legal team, family, and supporters,” Ejimakor tweeted.
The lawyer drew a historical parallel, referencing the 1963 conviction of nationalist leader Obafemi Awolowo. “When Awolowo was convicted in 1963, he was sent to the East, a neutral zone in his feud with the North. Pres. Tinubu can still halt this drift,” he added.
As of Friday evening, PUNCH Online had not independently confirmed the relocation details from official government or correctional service sources.
The Sentencing: Life Imprisonment
The transfer follows the landmark verdict delivered on Thursday, November 21, 2025, by the Federal High Court in Abuja. Justice James Omotosho found Kanu guilty on seven terrorism-related charges stemming from his leadership of the separatist group, IPOB.
The sentencing included:
- Life terms on five of the counts.
- 20 years on one count.
- 5 years on the final count.
Crucially, the sentence was handed down with no option of fine.
During the sentencing, Justice Omotosho suggested that the high-risk nature of the case and the potential for violence made the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja an inappropriate facility, suggesting the need for a more secure location, which may explain the subsequent move to Sokoto.
The Federal Government’s prosecution, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Adegboyega Awomolo, hailed the judgment as a triumph of the rule of law. Awomolo described the sentencing as a strong message that “no one is above the law.”
IPOB has since rejected the verdict, labeling it as unlawful and politically motivated.
Kanu was first arrested by Nigerian authorities in 2015 and has faced a protracted legal battle involving charges of treasonable felony, terrorism, and other related offences.
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