Heavy security as Gov Otti, Sokoto officials pay surprise visit to Nnamdi Kanu

A high-level delegation led by Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, alongside senior officials from the Sokoto State government, paid a visit on Sunday to Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), at the Sokoto Correctional Centre.

Footage of the surprise visit  revealed a significant security deployment around the facility during the visit.

Kanu was convicted by the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 21, 2025, after Justice James Omotosho found him guilty on seven terrorism-related charges filed by the Federal Government.

He received a life sentence on four counts (1, 4, 5 and 6), while counts 3 and 7 carried sentences of 20 years and 5 years respectively. The court ruled that prosecutors had sufficiently proven their case.

Just hours after the judgment, authorities moved Kanu from the Department of State Services (DSS) custody in Abuja to the Sokoto Correctional Centre — a transfer that has sparked widespread criticism.

His lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, condemned the relocation, calling it an attempt to cut Kanu off from his family, legal counsel and supporters. Kanu’s wife, Uchechi Okwu-Kanu, also confirmed his transfer, describing the development as unexpected.

Concerns have additionally been raised about his health. Kanu’s personal physician, Prof. M. A. C. Aghaji, in a letter to President Bola Tinubu, warned that the sudden move was “abrupt, troubling, and medically dangerous,” noting that it could worsen his medical condition.

(Sahara Reporters)