United States airstrikes carried out on Christmas Day against suspected terrorists in Sokoto State have reignited calls for the relocation of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
In a statement posted on X on Friday, Kanu’s Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, said the reported U.S. military action validated long-standing claims that Sokoto is unsafe and unsuitable for the detention or transfer of high-profile detainees.
“The U.S. military strike against terrorists in Sokoto has finally confirmed that Sokoto is riddled with terrorists and thus was never a safe place of custody for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” Ejimakor said, adding that it had become more urgent for Kanu to be moved out of what he described as the “terrorist belt” in northern Nigeria.
Kanu, who has been at the centre of prolonged legal and political controversies since his arrest and extradition to Nigeria in 2021, is currently being held at the Sokoto Correctional Centre. His supporters have repeatedly raised concerns about his safety, citing persistent insecurity in parts of northern Nigeria.
Security analysts note that Sokoto and neighbouring states have witnessed increased attacks by armed groups, including bandits and insurgent elements, in recent years, although authorities insist that security operations are ongoing.
Kanu was transferred to the Sokoto Correctional Centre following a judgment delivered in November 2025 by Justice James Omotosho, who sentenced him to life imprisonment for terrorism-related offences. The court also imposed additional jail terms of 20 years on count three and five years on count seven, both without the option of a fine, after convicting him on all seven counts.
The judgment has attracted widespread criticism from Kanu’s supporters and rights groups. Kanu has since indicated his intention to challenge the conviction and sentence at the appellate court.
