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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has rejected an application filed by the convicted leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, seeking his transfer from the Sokoto Correctional Centre to a custodial facility within the Federal Capital Territory or neighbouring Nasarawa State.
In the rejected exparte application, Kanu, through the Legal Aid Council, had approached the court requesting an order directing the Federal Government or the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to immediately move him from Sokoto to either Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja or Keffi Custodial Centre in Nasarawa.
In the alternative, he asked to be transferred to any custodial facility within the court’s jurisdiction, including Suleja or Keffi, to enable him to effectively pursue his appeal.
However, in his ruling yesterday, Justice James Omotosho declined the request on the grounds that such an order could not be granted without hearing from the Federal Government.
Rather, the judge directed Kanu to convert the ex-parte application into a motion on notice and serve all parties to allow fair hearing.
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Justice Omotosho subsequently fixed January 27, 2026, for the hearing of the motion.
The applicant said in view of the impossibility of his appearance before the court or chambers to personally move the motion, the judge should proceed and hear it in his absence.
Kanu maintained that it would be in the interest of justice for him to be transferred to a facility near Abuja to enable him to effectively prosecute his appeal.Nnamdi Kanu, who was recently convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, filed a fresh motion before the Court, stating why he should not be at Sokoto prison.
The applicant said in view of the impossibility of his appearance before the court or chambers to personally move the motion, the judge should proceed and hear it in his absence.
Kanu maintained that it would be in the interest of justice for him to be transferred to a facility near Abuja to enable him to effectively prosecute his appeal.
Earlier attempts by Prince Emmanuel Kanu to move the application on behalf of his brother, was rejected by Justice James Omotosho, on the ground that he is not a lawyer.
