A viral Facebook video claiming that Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been released from prison is false. The footage is nearly a decade old and does not reflect his current legal situation. Kanu remains in custody in Sokoto state following his conviction and life sentence on terrorism charges in November 2025.
Viral Video Misleads Viewers
The post, shared by a Facebook user identified as Daddy mummy family TV, features images of Kanu and the Biafran flag alongside what appears to be a Channels Television news report. In the broadcast, a reporter can be heard saying: "We begin tonight with the release of the self-styled leader of the indigenous people of Biafra, Mr Nnamdi Kanu, from the custody of the Kuje prison following the bail granted to him by Justice Binta Nyako."
The caption on the post read: "Biafrans, good news." By Thursday, September 10, 2026, the post had gathered more than 6,000 likes, 526 comments, 900 shares, and 500,000 views. Several users celebrated in the comments, with @David Okoh writing, "Wow, good news. Congratulations, man of the people," and @Koko Emmanuel adding, "Congratulations, this is a momentous occasion for justice and freedom. May it be a turning point for all." One commenter, @Princess Eby, simply asked, "Is this real?"
Fact-Check Traces Footage to 2017
Legit.ng broke the video into keyframes using InVID-WeVerify and ran a reverse image search on the resulting stills. The search traced the clip to a version of the original broadcast published on Channels Television's YouTube channel on April 28, 2017. Reports from that period confirm that Kanu signed his bail papers and left Kuje Prison on the evening of April 28, 2017, accompanied by his lawyer at the time, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, and three sureties, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.
The footage is nine years old and was lifted from its original context to suggest it represented a recent development. The same claim was also shared on multiple other Facebook posts, amplifying the misleading narrative.
Kanu's Actual Legal Status
Far from being free, Kanu was convicted by the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 20, 2025, on all seven counts of terrorism brought against him. Justice James Omotosho sentenced him to life imprisonment. Kanu filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal on February 4, 2026, seeking to overturn the conviction.
As of early September 2026, that appeal had not been heard. IPOB and Kanu's family have said the federal government has yet to file its response, and the Court of Appeal has not scheduled the case for hearing, even though the record of appeal has already been transmitted. Following his conviction, Kanu was transferred from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja to the Correctional Centre in Sokoto state, where the separatist leader remains held.
Legit.ng concluded that the claim is false. Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the president general of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator Azuta Mbata, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the federal government to release Kanu, arguing that the IPOB leader has stayed in detention for too long.
