Kanu Family Cries Plot After Sokoto Prison Relocation

The life sentence handed down to IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu for terrorism-related charges has taken a dramatic turn, with his family confirming his swift transfer to a correctional facility in Sokoto State and simultaneously raising a high-stakes alarm over an alleged assassination plot.

The controversial transfer from the Department of State Services (DSS) detention facility followed the judgment delivered on Thursday by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja. The judge, concluding a nearly ten-year legal battle, convicted Kanu and ordered his immediate relocation to prison.

On Friday, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, the younger brother of the convicted separatist leader, spoke on behalf of the family, confirming the move to Sokoto and articulating a chilling fear. The family is not only worried about the distant location but is alleging a coordinated effort to harm Kanu while in custody.

“Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been moved to Sokoto Prison,” Prince Emmanuel declared, directly accusing the authorities. “That is where the President Bola Tinubu led Nigerian government and South-East political leaders intend to finish what they have started by assassinating him.”

The family views the relocation to the far North as a premeditated move aimed at creating an environment conducive to an attack. Prince Emmanuel claimed the deliberate distance to Sokoto is intended to limit access for family members and his legal team, thereby enabling the government and its “collaborators” to harm Kanu in a “remote location.” Adding to the security concerns, the family also expressed fear that “insurgents” operating in the region might specifically target the high-profile prisoner within the Sokoto facility.

The family’s public outcry is a direct appeal to global consciousness: “We are calling on Nigerians and the international community to take note that the relocation of Nnamdi Kanu to Sokoto Prison is aimed at perfecting a plot to assassinate him in the remote prison facility,” Prince Emmanuel added, demanding accountability for Kanu’s safety.

The life sentence itself has provoked significant dissent. Kanu’s legal team has already vowed to appeal the judgment, which was also faulted by IPOB and a coalition of rights activists. Meanwhile, various stakeholders from the South-East, including activists, religious leaders, and political office holders, continue to press for a political solution to the long-standing and polarizing case, recognizing the deep tensions Kanu’s fate continues to stir across the nation. As of the time of this report, there has been no official statement from the Nigerian government or the Nigerian Correctional Service to address the family’s grave allegations regarding the security of the high-profile inmate.