DSS Officially Transfers Nnamdi Kanu To Sokoto Custodial Centre Following Life Sentence Conviction And Legal Proceedings

 

The Department of State Services (DSS) has transferred Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), from its Abuja detention facility to a correctional centre in Sokoto State. His lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, confirmed the relocation, describing it as a move that places Kanu far away from his legal team, family, and supporters.

The transfer comes a day after a Federal High Court in Abuja convicted Kanu on all seven terrorism‑related charges brought against him and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The judge granted the DSS authority to move Kanu to any correctional facility in Nigeria, citing national security and the gravity of his conviction.

Ejimakor expressed concern over the choice of Sokoto, highlighting how distant it is from Kanu’s base in the southeast and from those who have supported him. Security sources also confirmed the transfer, though declined to offer further comment. Observers note that Sokoto Correctional Centre is a maximum-security prison, and Kanu’s relocation there could significantly limit access to his legal team and well-wishers.

During the trial, the prosecution pushed for the harshest possible punishment, even demanding the death penalty on some counts. Yet the judge opted for life imprisonment, explaining that mercy factored into his decision. Kanu’s case has been one of Nigeria’s most closely watched legal battles. He was originally arrested in 2015, released on bail, and then controversially re-arrested abroad in 2021 before being returned to Nigeria.

Since his return, he has remained in DSS custody—until now. The relocation to Sokoto marks a significant shift not only in his detention but also in the logistical challenge for his defense and family to maintain regular contact. Some political and civil society voices have already reacted. The Igbo Political Network (IPN) issued a stark warning, giving authorities a seven-day ultimatum for Kanu’s release, decrying his prolonged detention as unjust.

It remains to be seen how Kanu’s team will respond to this transfer. Will they challenge it legally or pursue other maneuvers to get him closer to his base and legal support? For now, Kanu begins his life sentence in Sokoto, far from the corridors of power and protest where his story has long echoed.