Wife of Nnamdi Kanu Raises Alarm Over His Transfer to Sokoto Prison, Calls for Immediate Relocation and Global Intervention

Wife of Nnamdi Kanu Raises Alarm Over His Transfer to Sokoto Prison, Calls for Immediate Relocation and Global Intervention Uchechi Okwu Kan...

Wife of Nnamdi Kanu Raises Alarm Over His Transfer to Sokoto Prison, Calls for Immediate Relocation and Global Intervention

Uchechi Okwu Kanu, wife of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, on Friday night appealed to the international community to prevail on the Nigerian government to immediately transfer her husband from Sokoto Custodial Centre to a safer and more accessible facility.

In a 50-minute live broadcast aired at 10 p.m. GMT on 28 November 2025, Mrs Kanu described the quiet transfer of the IPOB leader to the far-north prison as “punitive” and “life-threatening”, citing security risks, deteriorating health concerns, and deliberate isolation from family and legal counsel.

“Placing him in Sokoto is not neutral or safe. It exposes him to severe security risks in a region far removed from his south-eastern base and plagued by terrorist activity,” she said. “His heart condition is worsening and he has been cut off from his personal physicians and required medication.”

Mrs Kanu argued that the relocation, carried out without prior notification to the defence team, undermines Kanu’s right to a fair trial and adequate medical care. Eyewitnesses reportedly noted an unusually heavy military presence around the Sokoto facility, while activists have criticised the secrecy surrounding the transfer.

International and Diplomatic Pressure Urged

The IPOB leader’s wife renewed calls for intervention by global institutions and leaders, including:

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV

The European Union  

The United States government  

The United Nations Human Rights Council and Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (which previously declared Kanu’s detention unlawful)  

The ECOWAS Court of Justice  

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch

She emphasised that diplomatic pressure, conditioning of aid, and sustained advocacy remain critical, noting that previous UN and ECOWAS rulings in Kanu’s favour have been ignored by Nigerian authorities.

Broader Call for Release of Detainees

Beyond her husband’s case, Mrs Kanu highlighted the plight of hundreds of individuals — many labelled as IPOB members — who she said remain in various detention facilities across Nigeria for months or years without trial, access to family, or medical care.

“Many are sick. Many have died. Some families do not even know where their loved ones are being held,” she said, appealing directly to the Department of State Services (DSS) and Nigerian security agencies to show “transparency and humanity” and release all those held without charge or evidence.

Peaceful Path and Upcoming Women’s Conference

Reaffirming IPOB’s commitment to non-violence, Mrs Kanu outlined plans to push for a United Nations-supervised referendum as the legitimate route to self-determination for the people of the former Eastern Region (Biafra).

She announced that IPOB women and all women of Biafran descent will convene a major conference at the United Nations during the week of 13 April 2026 to amplify the campaign and highlight the role of women in the struggle.

Criticism of Judicial Process

Mrs Kanu also addressed perceived irregularities in the most recent court proceedings against her husband, stating that Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court refused to admit Nnamdi Kanu’s final written address before delivering judgment — an action she described as a denial of due process. She confirmed that petitions against the judge’s conduct are being prepared for relevant authorities.

The broadcast ended with a direct moral appeal: “I am not asking for privilege or power — only for protection, fairness, and life. No human being should be placed in harm’s way by the state that is meant to protect them.”

As of Saturday morning, neither the Nigerian Correctional Service nor the Federal Ministry of Justice has issued an official statement on Nnamdi Kanu’s current condition or precise location within the Sokoto Custodial Centre.

Family Writers Press International.