The recent U.S. military strikes on alleged terrorist positions in Sokoto State have reignited debates over the security of detention facilities in northern Nigeria, with the legal team of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu calling for his relocation.
On Friday, Aloy Ejimakor, Special Counsel to Kanu, posted on X that the reported U.S. strikes “confirm long-standing concerns” that Sokoto is “riddled with terrorists” and therefore unsafe for holding or transferring high-profile detainees.
Ejimakor stated, “The U.S. 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. It is now more urgent that he be moved outside the terrorist belt in Northern Nigeria.”
Kanu, who was arrested and extradited to Nigeria in 2021, has been at the center of ongoing legal and political disputes. His supporters have repeatedly expressed fears for his safety, citing rising insecurity in parts of northern Nigeria as a threat to his life and right to humane treatment.
Security analysts note that Sokoto and surrounding states have seen increased attacks by armed groups, including bandits and insurgent elements, although government authorities maintain that security operations are being carried out and remain under control.
Currently, Kanu is being held at the Sokoto Correctional Centre following his life imprisonment sentence handed down by Justice James Omotosho in November 2025 for terrorism. In addition to the life term, Kanu received a 20-year sentence on count three and a five-year sentence on count seven, both without an option of fine, after being convicted on all seven terrorism-related charges.
While the verdict has drawn widespread criticism, Kanu has announced plans to challenge both the conviction and sentence at the appellate court.
