The legal counsel for the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has issued a strong demand for his client's immediate relocation from Sokoto State. This urgent call follows a confirmed United States military operation in the state.
Security Concerns Triggered by Christmas Day Strike
Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu's lawyer, made the appeal public through a post on his X account on Friday, December 26, 2025. His demand was a direct response to a U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) airstrike on Christmas Day. The joint operation with Nigerian forces targeted camps belonging to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Sokoto, resulting in multiple terrorist casualties.
Ejimakor argued that this military action validates long-held fears about the security situation in Sokoto as a detention location. "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," he stated. He emphasized the increased urgency to move Kanu out of what he termed the "terrorist belt of Northern Nigeria."
Background: Life Sentence and Courtroom Outburst
Nnamdi Kanu has been held in custody since 2021, facing severe terrorism charges. In a pivotal ruling in November 2025, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment. The conviction was based on multiple counts from a seven-count charge brought by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The sentencing breakdown was as follows:
- Life imprisonment for counts one, two, four, five, and six related to terrorism.
- 20 years' imprisonment for count three, for belonging to a proscribed terrorist group (IPOB).
- 5 years' imprisonment for count seven, for unlawfully importing a radio transmitter to further Radio Biafra's activities.
Justice Omotosho noted that while the law permitted a death sentence, he chose a life term, citing mercy as a Christian. He ordered Kanu to be kept in protective custody anywhere in Nigeria except Kuje Prison, Abuja, and forfeited the radio transmitter to the Federal Government.
Unruly Court Proceedings
The trial was marked by significant drama. Before delivering the judgment, Justice Omotosho had to order security personnel to remove Kanu from the courtroom. This occurred after Kanu objected loudly to the proceedings, accused the judge of bias, and claimed the court "did not know the law." The judge had earlier dismissed three last-minute motions from Kanu's team for lacking merit. The final judgment was read in Kanu's absence.
Implications and Next Steps
The recent U.S. airstrike has added a complex layer of international security concerns to Kanu's detention saga. Ejimakor's demand frames the issue as one of immediate inmate safety, leveraging the publicly acknowledged presence of terrorist groups in Sokoto. The Nigerian government now faces pressure to reconsider the location of Kanu's protective custody in light of these developments, even as his legal battles continue.
