By Suleiman Anyalewechi
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday December 8, 2025, turned down an appeal by convicted leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, seeking a transfer out of the Sokoto custodial centre.
The IPOB leader in an ex-parte motion had sought an order of the court compelling the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Nigerian Correctional Service to transfer him from the Sokoto Correctional facility to a custodial facility within the jurisdiction of the Abuja Court.
“Alternatively, Kanu had sought an order of the Court transferring him to the Court’s immediate environs such as the Suleja or Keffi Custodial Centre” for the purpose of enabling him to effectively prosecute his constitutionally guaranteed right of appeal.
According to him, his continued detention at the Sokoto Correctional facility which is over 700 kilometers from Abuja renders his constitutional right to appeal impracticable as all persons critical to assisting him in preparing his appeal including relatives, associates and legal consultants are being in Abuja.
“The preparation of the notice of appeal and record of appeal requires personal interface with the Registrar of this Honourable Court and the Court of Appeal Abuja”, Kanu averred.
Ruling on the application , which was moved by the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria on behalf of Kanu on Monday, presiding Judge, Justice James Omotosho, ordered that Kanu should convert the motiion ex-parte to that of motion on notice in the interest of justice.
The IPOB leader had in the initial application sought the order to be made without putting the other party ( Federal Government) on notice.
The Judge subsequently adjourned to January 27 ,2026 for the hearing and determination of the new motion on notice.
The Source further reports that Kanu’s younger brother, Emmanuel Kanu, had, last week, unsuccessfully sought to move the motion ex-parte despite not being a legal practitioner.
However, justice Omotosho, in rejecting the younger Kanu’s efforts, advised him to rather seek the services of lawyers or in the alternative approach the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria.
Justice Omotosho had insisted that Emmanuel Kanu cannot represent his elder sibling or any other person, except corporate bodies, since he is not a lawyer.
It will be recalled that the IPOB leader was, on Thursday, November 20, 2025, convicted and sentenced on all seven count charges bordering on terrorism and other related Offences preferred against him by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
He was subsequently relocated from the detention facility of the Department of State Service, DSS, Abuja Headquarters to the Sokoto Correctional Service facility on November 21, 2025.
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