Federal High Court Denies Kanu’s Request for Prison Transfer
The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has refused an ex-parte application filed by Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), seeking to be moved from Sokoto Prison to a facility closer to Abuja.
Kanu, represented by the Legal Aid Council, had asked the court to order the Federal Government or the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to transfer him to either Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja, Keffi Custodial Centre in Nasarawa, or any other custodial facility within the court’s jurisdiction, citing difficulties in pursuing his appeal from Sokoto.
However, Justice James Omotosho on Monday ruled that the court could not grant the request without giving the Federal Government a chance to respond. “The respondents must be put on notice to allow them to reply in the interest of justice,” he said.
The judge subsequently scheduled the hearing of the motion for January 27, 2026.
Kanu was convicted on November 20, 2025, on seven terrorism-related charges and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was later transferred to Sokoto Prison for security reasons, following earlier unrest and prison break incidents at Kuje Custodial Centre.
In his motion, filed under case number FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 and personally signed, Kanu argued that detention in Sokoto—over 700 kilometres from Abuja—hampered his ability to effectively prepare his notice and record of appeal. He requested that the motion be considered in absentia and urged the court to compel the Federal Government or NCoS to effect the transfer.
Why do you think Kanu is seeking a transfer from Sokoto Prison, and do you believe his life sentence could be overturned on appeal?
