Nnamdi Kanu Won’t Leave Sokoto Prison Without Court Order, Family Declares
Nnamdi Kanu Won’t Leave Sokoto Prison Without Court Order, Family Declares
The family contended that the sequence of the judge’s findings and the prison transfer order raises what it described as a compelling appearance of judicial bias.
The family of the imprisoned leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has declared that he will not be transferred from the Sokoto Custodial Centre unless ordered by a court, insisting that his incarceration in the northern prison remains a central issue in his pending appeal against his life sentence.
In a statement issued on Friday and made available by Kanu’s Special Counsel, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, the family urged supporters and “all well-meaning persons” to stop mounting public and private pressure on Kanu to accept a transfer from Sokoto to Abuja outside the judicial process.
The family warned that such a move could weaken and undermine the legal arguments before the Court of Appeal.
According to the statement, Kanu is representing himself before the Court of Appeal in his challenge against the conviction handed down by the Federal High Court, Abuja, and has personally argued what his legal team described as multiple “potent” jurisdictional grounds seeking to overturn the judgment.
The family maintained that because Kanu is appearing pro se (in person), the courts have an even greater responsibility to safeguard his constitutional rights and prevent any action that could be interpreted as waiving any of the grounds contained in his appeal.
“The Kanu family has observed persistent calls, both public and private, urging Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to accept relocation from Sokoto Custodial Centre to Abuja, outside the judicial process,” the statement read.
“We consider it necessary to clarify the family’s position and to caution against any course of action that could undermine the pending appeal before the Court of Appeal.”
The family argued that Kanu’s transfer to Sokoto formed part of the legal challenge against his conviction.
The family recalled that Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, convicted Kanu on November 20, 2025, sentenced him to life imprisonment and ordered that he serve his sentence at the Sokoto Custodial Centre after allegedly stating in the judgment that Kanu “hates the North with a passion.”
The family contended that the sequence of the judge’s findings and the prison transfer order raises what it described as a compelling appearance of judicial bias.
Kanu’s family added that the issue has been formally presented before the Court of Appeal as one of the grounds for setting aside the conviction.
The family further argued that the Sokoto prison placement is not merely an administrative decision but “a substantive ground of appeal” supporting allegations of bias and denial of fair hearing.
Citing previous judicial authorities, Kanu’s family referenced Kenon v. Tekam, LPDC v. Fawehinmi, Alake v. State and Madu v. State, arguing that apparent judicial bias, reliance on facts not in evidence and convictions based on uncharged facts are sufficient grounds to nullify criminal proceedings.
The family insisted that the Sokoto sentencing issue, alongside 14 other independent grounds of appeal, justifies setting aside Kanu’s conviction.
“The Sokoto sentencing is a live issue in the appeal currently pending before the Court of Appeal. It has been argued, briefed, and is awaiting judicial determination,” Kanu’s family said.
“The Court of Appeal is the proper forum to decide whether the Sokoto sentencing was lawful, whether it constituted bias, and whether it should be quashed.”
The family urged members of the public and Kanu’s supporters to allow the appellate court to determine the matter without actions that could prejudice the pending proceedings.
