Important Lessons
IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu will not accept any transfer from Sokoto prison without a court ruling, according to the Okwu-Kanu family through Prince Emmanuel Kanu.
Kanu's arrest in Sokoto is one of fifteen appeal grounds, according to the family, who cautioned that voluntary relocation would be interpreted as giving up on accusations of judicial prejudice.
It recalled that on November 20, 2025, Justice J.K. Omotosho found Kanu guilty and sentenced him to life in prison; a prior relocation application was denied.
The family of Nnamdi Kanu, the incarcerated leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has stated that he will not consent to being moved from the Sokoto Custodial Center unless a court grants permission.
According to Naija News, the family worried that an extrajudicial transfer could undermine Kanu's case and stated that his ongoing imprisonment in Sokoto constituted a significant portion of his ongoing appeal before the Court of Appeal.
Prince Emmanuel Kanu made the statement on behalf of the Okwu-Kanu family of Umuahia, Abia State, on Friday.
The family claims that the statement was required after the IPOB leader was repeatedly urged to accept a move from Sokoto to Abuja without going through the legal system.
The family asked Kanu's supporters and other interested parties to respect the legal approach being used in the appeal of his conviction.
It stated that Kanu was representing himself in the Court of Appeal and that any action that could be construed as giving up one of his appeal grounds could be detrimental.
"It also means that any sort of conduct that could be interpreted as abandoning a cause of appeal, such as voluntarily departing Sokoto Custodial Center, would be highly harmful to his case," the statement stated.
"The Kanu family is dedicated to preventing any unintentional concession of his constitutional rights as a result of his pro se status."
The family further stated that Kanu's choice to represent himself put more pressure on the court to uphold his rights and make sure he was not at a disadvantage.
Sokoto Detention Mentioned in the Appeal
According to the announcement, Kanu was found guilty on November 20, 2025, and given a life sentence by Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The family said that before mandating that Kanu serve his sentence at the Sokoto Custodial Center, the judge declared in his ruling that he "hates the North with a passion."
It stated that the ruling was brought up by Kanu's legal team to bolster its claims of judicial bias and denial of a fair trial.
The family stated, "The Sokoto sentencing is not merely an administrative detail; it is a substantive ground of appeal that the legal team argues presents important evidence in favor of the appeal on judicial prejudice and fair hearing."
The statement said that the matter was one of fifteen grounds submitted to the appellate court in an attempt to reverse the conviction.
The family insisted that the Court of Appeal alone should decide whether Kanu's imprisonment in Sokoto was legal and whether the ruling amounted to bias.
"The case is pending. The Court of Appeal is the appropriate body to determine whether the Sokoto sentence was legal, if it was biased, and whether it should be overturned, the statement continued.
It cautioned that any voluntary relocation could be used by the prosecution to claim that Kanu had given up on that part of his appeal.
The respondent may argue that any voluntarily move outside of the legal system constitutes a surrender of this appeal ground. The family stated, "The legal staff believes it is sensible not to increase that risk."
It further stated that Kanu had spent a significant amount of time preparing and defending the appeal and would not permit outside interference to jeopardize the proceedings.
The Prior Relocation Application Was Unsuccessful
The family added that Kanu had already submitted a relocation application to the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The statement claims that the court ordered the Federal Government to be notified rather than deciding the application on its merits.
The family claimed that a lawyer from the Legal Aid Council was assigned to defend Kanu after he was subsequently barred from the court.
It stated that the application was dismissed after the attorney later withdrew from the case.
The family also revealed that British consular representatives had talked about a potential intervention to help Kanu move to Abuja, but he turned them down.
It stated that the IPOB leader would rather let the Court of Appeal decide the matter.
"Any change to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu's location of confinement should occur through proper court process rather than governmental or diplomatic involvement," the statement stated.
In his pro se appearance, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has stated unequivocally that he will not consent to any interference that circumvents the legal system. He expects the courts to uphold the law because he respects them. Nobody else will make the decision; only the Court of Appeal will.
Kanu's followers and other interested parties were urged by the family to refrain from any activities or public advocacy that would compromise the appeal.
It stated that the legal plan, which had been prepared over several months, was still, in its opinion, the best way to secure his release.
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