A viral claim on Facebook alleged that the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, visited the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, at the Sokoto Correctional Centre. The video claimed that the Sultan discussed an appeal of Kanu’s sentence and urged him to abandon secession calls for a united Nigeria. However, fact-checkers have confirmed that no such visit occurred.
Claim Details
The video, which quickly gained traction, stated: “Sultan of Sokoto visited Mazi Nnamdi Kanu today, asking for dialogue, a few days after the federal government cross-appealed Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to a death sentence. Asked Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to say no to separation and unite as one for a better Nigeria.” Kanu was convicted on November 20, 2025, after his arrest and return from Kenya in 2021.
Verification
Fact-checking platform DUBAWA reported that no credible news report, official statement, photograph, or video showed the Sultan visiting Kanu. Major Nigerian media organizations and the Sultanate Council Media Team did not report such a visit. A member of the Sultanate Council, the District Head of Kilgori, Muhammad Jabbi, dismissed the claim as false, stating that the Sultan did not visit Kanu and no such engagement took place.
Conclusion
The claim that the Sultan visited Nnamdi Kanu in Sokoto prison is false and unfounded. The alleged discussion to persuade the IPOB leader to abandon secession never occurred.
Related Claims
This is not the first false claim involving Kanu. A viral Facebook video previously claimed that 70 members of Israel’s parliament supported Biafra and called for Kanu’s release. Investigation showed no evidence of such a discussion. Additionally, a claim that the United Nations issued a 60-day ultimatum to Nigeria over Kanu’s detention was debunked by DUBAWA, which noted that the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention lacks power to issue ultimatums.
