The Federal High Court in Abuja has refused to grant an ex parte motion filed by the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, seeking an order for his immediate transfer from the Sokoto Correctional Centre to a custodial facility within the Federal Capital Territory or a neighbouring state, such as Nasarawa.
Kanu, who was recently moved to Sokoto following what the Federal Government described as “security concerns” in Abuja, approached the court through the Legal Aid Council.
He requested to be relocated to either the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja or the Keffi Custodial Centre in Nasarawa State, citing the need to access his lawyers and pursue his pending appeal at the Court of Appeal.
In an alternative prayer, he urged the court to order his transfer to any facility within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Abuja, including Suleja or Keffi, arguing that the distance between Sokoto and Abuja had severely hindered his legal representation.
However, Justice James Omotosho declined to grant the request on Monday. The judge held that such a consequential order, especially one involving the movement of a high-profile detainee, could not be made without hearing from the Federal Government.
Justice Omotosho ruled that Mr Kanu must put the Government and the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) on notice. He therefore directed his legal team to convert the ex parte application into a motion on notice and serve all parties in the suit to ensure fair hearing.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to January 27, 2026, for the hearing of the motion.
Kanu’s relocation to Sokoto in October generated controversy among his supporters, family members and lawyers, who argued that the move was intended to isolate him and frustrate his ongoing appeal against the Federal Government.
His legal team has repeatedly maintained that the transfer has made regular consultations “nearly impossible.”
Monday’s ruling means Mr Kanu will remain in Sokoto pending the court’s determination of the motion on notice in January.
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