Nnamdi Kanu Faces Major Hurdles in Preparing Appeal from Sokoto Prison, Lawyer Reveals

 Nnamdi Kanu Faces Major Hurdles in Preparing Appeal from Sokoto Prison, Lawyer Reveals Barrister Maxwell Opara, one of the legal consultant...

 Nnamdi Kanu Faces Major Hurdles in Preparing Appeal from Sokoto Prison, Lawyer Reveals

Barrister Maxwell Opara, one of the legal consultants assisting the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has raised fresh concerns about the conditions under which Kanu is preparing his appeal against a life imprisonment sentence for terrorism-related charges.

In an update shared today, Opara confirmed that he visited Kanu at the Sokoto Correctional Centre on January 11, 2026, to assess his well-being and discuss materials for the appeal process. Despite ongoing legal challenges, Opara described the meeting as productive in terms of reviewing contributions from various consultants and sympathetic legal practitioners. However, he highlighted a significant obstacle: Kanu has been barred from accessing electronic devices, including a laptop and printer, as stipulated in the court's recent judgment.

"This is unjust and unfair," Opara stated in his message to supporters. "It is like removing a bird’s wings and asking it to fly." He explained that Kanu, who is representing himself in the appeal, relies on these tools to compile, review, and file documents effectively. While hard copies of legal contributions have been provided, the lack of technological resources severely hampers his ability to meet filing deadlines and mount a robust defense.

Opara emphasized that this restriction contravenes the principle of **fair hearing**, a fundamental right under Nigerian law, and suggested that his team is considering further legal action to challenge the denial of access. "All consultants and sympathetic legal practitioners have made their various legal contributions to support the appeal process," he noted. "It is now left for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to go through these contributions, put them together, and file his appeal. However, he cannot do this effectively because of this challenge."

Kanu was convicted on November 20, 2025, by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on seven terrorism-related counts and sentenced to life imprisonment. Following the ruling, he was transferred from Department of State Services (DSS) custody in Abuja to the Sokoto facility, a move that his legal team has repeatedly criticized as deliberately isolating him from his lawyers, family, and support network in the south-east.

Recent court proceedings in December 2025 saw the Federal High Court reject an ex-parte application for Kanu's transfer to a facility closer to Abuja (such as Kuje or Keffi), directing instead that the motion be converted to one on notice and served on relevant parties. The matter has been adjourned to January 27, 2026, for hearing. Kanu's team has argued that the distance to Sokoto impedes his ability to effectively prosecute the appeal, including physical access to registries in Abuja.

The Sokoto facility has hosted several high-profile visitors in recent days, including a Jewish spiritual leader on January 10, 2026, who called for Kanu's release and questioned the legal basis of his detention. Kanu's case continues to draw international attention, with supporters framing the restrictions as part of a broader pattern of obstacles to justice in his pursuit of self-determination for the Biafran cause.

Opara concluded his update by addressing "lovers of freedom all over the world," urging continued solidarity. "This is the update I felt I should share with all lovers of freedom all over the world. Thank you and God bless you all."

As the January 27 hearing approaches, the developments underscore the ongoing tensions between Kanu's legal rights and the conditions of his detention. Neither the Nigerian Correctional Service nor the Federal Government has publicly responded to the latest claims regarding device access. The appeal process remains a focal point for IPOB advocates and human rights observers monitoring the case.