The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has reportedly been moved from the Department of State Services (DSS) detention in Abuja to a correctional facility in Sokoto State, raising fresh concerns over his detention and access to legal counsel and family.
The development was confirmed by Kanu’s legal counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, who disclosed the transfer on social media.
He wrote, “MAZI NNAMDI KANU has just been moved from DSS Abuja to the correctional facility (prison) in Sokoto; so far away from his lawyers, family, loved ones and well-wishers.”
Kanu was convicted on Thursday by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges of terrorism and sentenced to life imprisonment, a ruling that has drawn sharp criticism from his supporters and legal team.
IPOB Questions Legality of Conviction
In response to the sentencing and subsequent transfer, IPOB has demanded that Justice Omotosho provide clarity on the legal basis of Kanu’s conviction.
Speaking through the group’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, IPOB highlighted alleged contradictions and procedural flaws in the ruling.
Powerful noted that Kanu and his defense team had argued the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act 2013, under which he was charged, had already been repealed by the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
The statement, titled “Justice Omotosho Must Explain the Law Under Which He Purported to Convict Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” further claimed:
“The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) wishes to inform the global community, diplomatic missions, international media, and lovers of freedom that we shall, in the coming days and weeks, lay bare the fundamental defects, contradictions, and illegalities that define the recent ruling issued by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja.”
No Evidence of Armed Offences, IPOB Asserts
IPOB also insisted that no weapons or explosives were found in Kanu’s possession and that no witness ever testified that he committed an offence under Nigerian or international law.
“For the avoidance of doubt, no gun, no grenade, no GPMG, no explosive, and no attack plan was ever found on Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. None. No witness, civilian or military, ever testified before any court, at any stage, that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu committed any offence known to Nigerian or international law. This is an undeniable fact,” the group added.
Concerns Over Distance From Legal Team and Family
Legal experts and Kanu’s supporters have raised concerns over the practical implications of his transfer to Sokoto, located far from Abuja. Questions are being raised about whether he will continue to have adequate access to his lawyers, family members, and other support networks during appeals and ongoing legal proceedings.
Also Read: The Nnamdi Kanu Case: Lessons That Every Nigerian Activist Must Learn
As the situation unfolds, IPOB has vowed to continue challenging the ruling, promising to highlight what it describes as “fundamental defects and illegalities” in the court’s decision to the Nigerian public and the international community.
