Tight Security at Sokoto Prison as Nnamdi Kanu Arrives.

Security has been reinforced at the Sokoto Custodial Centre 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-related offences.

In his judgment, Justice James Omotosho directed that Kanu be moved to a “protective prison,” stating that the Kuje Custodial Centre was unsuitable due to past security breaches.

Kanu’s lawyer, Alloy Ejimakor, later claimed that his client had been relocated to Sokoto, expressing concern that the move placed him far away from his legal team, family members, and supporters.

Although officials at the Sokoto Custodial Centre did not confirm his presence, heightened security activity around the facility indicated preparations for a high-profile inmate. Armed personnel were positioned at key locations within and outside the prison, and residents reported seeing truckloads of soldiers enter the premises an unusual sight in the area.

The spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, Jane Osuji, confirmed that Kanu was in the agency’s custody but declined to reveal his exact location due to the sensitivity of the case.

Wife, Sowore confirm transfer

Kanu’s wife, Uchechi Okwu-Kanu, announced on her X handle that her husband had arrived at the Sokoto facility, expressing displeasure that some supporters circulated the information before notifying her.

Activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore also said Kanu had been “secretly” moved to Sokoto and argued that the transfer placed him at greater risk.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, urged calm and described the development as unexpected. She appealed to Nigerians, especially those from the South-East, to avoid actions that could escalate tensions, noting that resolving the matter would require wide consultations with political, religious, and traditional leaders.

Ohanaeze, MASSOB reject sentence

Several Igbo socio-cultural groups, including Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Igbo National Council, and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, condemned the life sentence imposed on Kanu.

Ohanaeze, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Ezechi Chukwu, described the ruling as “a setback to justice” and warned that it could further worsen instability in the South-East. President-General John Azuta-Mbata called on President Bola Tinubu to seek a political resolution, arguing that Kanu’s prolonged detention had contributed to insecurity and youth unrest in the region.

The Igbo National Council, led by Chilos Godsent, alleged that the judgment was part of an “ethno-political agenda” and urged Tinubu to grant Kanu a presidential pardon.

The Ohanaeze Youth Wing also criticised the ruling, calling it discriminatory, while MASSOB leader Uchenna Madu dismissed the sentence as politically motivated.

Kanu was first arrested in 2015 on charges including treasonable felony. After fleeing the country, he was re-arrested in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria in 2021.