By Frontline Reporters
Security around the Sokoto Custodial Centre has been significantly tightened following the transfer of the convicted leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, to the facility. Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment on Thursday by the Federal High Court in Abuja after being found guilty of terrorism and related offences. Justice James Omotosho had ordered that he be taken to a “protective prison,” noting that Kuje Custodial Centre was unsuitable due to previous jailbreaks and security lapses.
Kanu’s lawyer, Alloy Ejimakor, disclosed on Friday that his client had been moved to Sokoto, a development he criticised for distancing Kanu from his family and legal team. Although officials of the Sokoto Custodial Centre declined to confirm the transfer, unusual military presence was observed around the prison, with armed personnel stationed at multiple points and truckloads of soldiers entering the premises.
Kanu’s wife, Uchechi Okwu-Kanu, confirmed his arrival in Sokoto on her X handle, while activist Omoyele Sowore also stated that the government had moved Kanu “secretly,” alleging that the relocation posed risks to his safety. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, appealed for calm and urged restraint, noting that the development was unexpected.
Major Igbo socio-cultural groups, including Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Igbo National Council, and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, rejected the life sentence, describing it as unjust and politically charged. They urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene and consider a political resolution, arguing that Kanu’s continued detention fuels insecurity and youth agitation in the South-East.
Kanu was first arrested in 2015 on charges including treasonable felony. After fleeing Nigeria, he was re-arrested in Kenya and returned to the country in 2021.
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