A Federal High Court in Abuja has declined to issue a production warrant for Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), preventing his presence in court for the settlement of appeal records related to his life imprisonment sentence.
Kanu was sentenced on November 20, 2025, after being convicted on seven terrorism-related counts. His lawyer, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, expressed shock that the court refused the mandatory order allowing prison authorities to bring Kanu from Sokoto Prison to Abuja for the proceedings scheduled on November 28.
Ejimakor said the decision hampers Kanu’s ability to participate in the appeal process and undermines his constitutional rights under Section 36 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees fair hearing and due process. He argued that relocating Kanu hundreds of kilometres away from the capital limits his access to legal support and complicates timely appeal filings.
Kanu had been held in DSS custody since June 2021 following a controversial arrest and extradition from Kenya. In October 2022, the Court of Appeal discharged him of all charges, ruling his extraordinary rendition unlawful. The Nigerian government successfully appealed the decision, keeping him in detention.
Ejimakor emphasized that the appeal process requires immediate and detailed action, which is impeded by Kanu’s current detention location. He also noted that alternative facilities closer to Abuja, such as Suleja or Keffi, would have better supported Kanu’s access to legal counsel and family.
