Aloy Ejimakor, the lead counsel for detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, has issued an urgent demand for his client to be moved out of Sokoto State. This call follows a confirmed United States military operation in the state on Christmas Day.
US Airstrike Triggers Security Concerns for Detention Site
Ejimakor made his appeal public on Friday, December 26, 2025, via a post on his personal X account. His demand was a direct response to a joint operation by the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and Nigerian forces. The operation, which took place on Christmas Day, 25 December 2025, involved airstrikes targeting camps belonging to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Sokoto, resulting in multiple terrorist casualties.
The lawyer argued that this military action validates long-held fears about the security situation in Sokoto, where Kanu has been held since 2021 on terrorism-related charges. "The US military strike against terrorists in Sokoto has finally confirmed that Sokoto is riddled with terrorists and thus was never a safe place of custody for MAZI NNAMDI KANU," Ejimakor stated. He emphasized the increased urgency, stating, "It is now more urgent that he be transferred out of the terrorist belt of Northern Nigeria."
Life Sentence Handed Down Amid Courtroom Drama
This security plea comes on the heels of a major legal development. On Thursday, 25 December 2025, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment. The sentence was for his conviction on five counts of terrorism from a seven-count charge brought by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The judge delivered the following specific sentences:
- Life imprisonment for counts one, two, four, five, and six (terrorism offences).
- 20 years' imprisonment for count three (belonging to a proscribed terrorist group).
- 5 years' imprisonment for count seven (unlawful importation of a radio transmitter for Radio Biafra).
Justice Omotosho noted that the law permitted a death sentence for the terrorism charges but, describing himself as a Christian, chose to show mercy. He ordered Kanu to be kept in protective custody anywhere in Nigeria except Kuje Prison in Abuja and forfeited the radio transmitter to the Federal Government.
Unruly Behavior Leads to Removal from Court
The sentencing was preceded by significant courtroom disruption. According to reports, Justice Omotosho had earlier dismissed three last-minute motions filed by Kanu, deeming them lacking in merit. As the judge began to deliver the final ruling, Kanu objected loudly, accusing the court of bias and claiming it "did not know the law."
This outburst prompted Justice Omotosho to direct security personnel to remove Kanu from the courtroom. The judge proceeded to read the final judgment convicting and sentencing the IPOB leader in his absence.
The convergence of the life sentence and the security concerns raised by the US airstrike has intensified the legal and political discourse surrounding Kanu's detention, placing renewed focus on his location and safety.
