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| Nnamdi Kanu |
— ABUJA, Nigeria
Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the pro-Biafra independence movement, was transferred on Friday to a prison in Sokoto State, according to confirmations from his wife and legal team.
They have expressed serious concerns for his safety, citing the facility's vulnerability in a northern Nigerian region where Islamist terrorist groups are active.
This move follows Kanu's life sentence, which was handed down on November 20, 2025. The verdict has been widely criticized by international observers and others as a miscarriage of justice.
The sentencing has drawn condemnation from U.S. Representative John James, former chairman of the Africa Subcommittee and current member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Representative James stated that the case of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader is an evidence of religious persecution in Nigeria, a country where thousands of Christians have been detained by government forces and also killed by Islamist militants.
While Kanu's lawyers have announced plans to appeal the sentence, tensions are rising in Nigeria's Eastern region. Security experts warn that his imprisonment could lead to an armed struggle, either from IPOB or from other aggrieved individuals not affiliated with the group.
Echoing calls for a peaceful resolution, retired DSS officer Ekong Clement told Gazette Africa, “The best course of action is to engage in dialogue and release Nnamdi Kanu.”