The Department of State Services has transferred IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from Abuja to the Sokoto Custodial Centre, a move his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, says isolates him from family and legal support.
The transfer follows Thursday’s judgment by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which found Kanu guilty on several terrorism-related counts and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The charges stem from separatist broadcasts, incitement, and the importation of an unregistered radio transmitter.
The court ruled that Kanu’s statements—threats of national collapse, references to Nigeria as a “zoo,” and directives that allegedly led to killings and disruption in the South-East—constituted acts of terrorism.
Justice Omotosho ordered his relocation from Kuje Prison due to security concerns and barred him from accessing digital devices.
Ejimakor rejected the verdict, arguing that Kanu was convicted for words, not actions, and vowed to appeal.
But government counsel Adegboyega Awomolo hailed the ruling, saying it proves no individual is above the law.
Kanu’s sentencing has sparked nationwide debate, raising questions about free speech, state power, and Nigeria’s approach to combating terrorism.
