Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, was reportedly transferred from the Department of State Services facility in Abuja to a correctional centre in Sokoto on Friday, November 21, 2025. The move was made after a court decision that sentenced him to life imprisonment over terrorism-related charges, and it was made for security reasons, according to information linked to the case.
The report of the transfer was made public by his former lawyer and consultant, Aloy Ejimakor, who raised concerns about the distance between Kanu and his legal team, family, and supporters. He warned people in the South-East to remain calm and questioned the decision to move him far from his home region. As of the time of the report, the transfer had not been independently confirmed by other authorities.
Nnamdi Kanu was first arrested in 2015 after being accused of treasonable felony, terrorism, and other offences connected to his leadership of IPOB, a group that the government had earlier banned. After leaving Nigeria, he was later extradited from Kenya in 2021 and returned to face trial in Abuja.
On Thursday, the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced him to life imprisonment on seven terrorism-related charges. The court handed down life sentences on five counts, while he received 20 years on one count and five years on another. No option of fine was given. The presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, noted that keeping him in Kuje Correctional Centre could pose serious security risks and advised that a more secure prison facility should be used.
The prosecution, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adegboyega Awomolo, supported the judgment, stating that the sentence showed that no person stands above the law in Nigeria. The case has continued to attract national attention, with many Nigerians following developments closely as reactions trail both the conviction and the reported transfer to Sokoto prison.