Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has initiated a new legal move to be relocated from the Sokoto Correctional Centre. He contends that his continued detention there severely obstructs his constitutional right to appeal his recent life imprisonment conviction.
Legal Motion Filed for Transfer on Constitutional Grounds
In a motion ex parte personally signed by him and presented at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Kanu outlined his predicament. He was sentenced on 20 November 2025 and subsequently transferred to the Sokoto facility on 21 November 2025.
Kanu argued that the Sokoto Correctional Facility is situated over 700 kilometres from Abuja, where both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal are located. This immense distance, he stated, makes it impracticable for him to personally interface with the court registries, a necessary step for preparing his notice of appeal and the complete record of appeal.
His detention in Sokoto, therefore, renders his right to appeal virtually impossible to exercise, causing exceptional hardship. He framed this as a violation of Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees fair hearing. Kanu prayed the court to order the federal government and the Nigerian Correctional Service to move him to a facility within Abuja's jurisdiction or a nearer one like Suleja or Keffi.
Court Rejects Brother's Representation, Adjourns Hearing
The motion was presented on Thursday by Kanu's younger brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu. The IPOB leader had requested the court to hear the application in his absence, citing the impossibility of making the long journey from Sokoto.
However, Justice James Omotosho declined to entertain the motion through Emmanuel. The judge firmly stated that Emmanuel, not being a legal practitioner, could not represent his brother in such a matter. Justice Omotosho advised the applicant to engage a lawyer or seek assistance from the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria.
"This ex parte motion cannot be moved on the convict's behalf because you are not a legal practitioner," Justice Omotosho declared. He added, "For you to be qualified as a lawyer, it will take you another six years or thereabout. So get a counsel to move the application."
Following this directive, Emmanuel Kanu requested a new hearing date. Consequently, Justice Omotosho adjourned the hearing of the motion to 8 December 2025.
Judge Clarifies Process for Appeal Record
During the proceedings, Justice Omotosho also addressed public commentary on the case. He cautioned against misleading statements regarding Kanu's ability to compile his appeal record, noting that a convict's physical attendance in court is not required for that process to be prepared.
"The rights of a defendant are different from the rights of a convict," the judge concluded, drawing a legal distinction between stages of the judicial process.
This development follows a recent visit to Kanu in Sokoto by the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti. Photographs from that visit had circulated publicly, drawing further attention to Kanu's place of detention.
