A member of the IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s defence team has released an extended update after meeting with him at the Sokoto Correctional Centre, just days after the Federal High Court sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Visit to Sokoto Prison
Maxwell Opara, a prominent figure in Kanu’s legal team, led a group of four other associates to the Sokoto facility on Sunday, November 23, 2025.
Their mission was to check on Kanu’s physical and mental wellbeing, assess the conditions of his confinement, and review immediate legal strategies following the ruling delivered last week.
Kanu Said To Be in Good Spirits
After the visit, Opara stated that despite the heavy circumstances, Kanu displayed remarkable strength and composure.
He explained that Kanu was calm, focused, and fully aware of the long legal journey ahead.
“We just met with him, and he is in good spirits,” Opara confirmed, stressing that the team held an in-depth conversation with him inside the correctional facility.
He further added that Kanu showed determination, insisting he would not be broken by the latest court decision.
Life Sentence and Protective Custody
Kanu’s life sentence was handed down on Thursday, November 20, 2025, by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Alongside the sentence, the court ordered that Kanu be placed under protective custody, citing security concerns surrounding his high-profile case and the sensitive nature of the terrorism-related charges.
Concerns Over Transfer to Sokoto
Opara raised strong concerns regarding the decision to relocate Kanu from Abuja to Sokoto almost immediately after the verdict.
He argued that such a transfer complicates the legal process, especially since all appeal proceedings must originate from Abuja where the case was tried.
“On what basis was he brought to Sokoto? His appeal is in Abuja. The judgment was delivered on Thursday, and now Friday, Saturday, and Sunday have all passed with no movement on the appeal. This is very unfortunate,” he stressed.
He noted that the team is already questioning the legality and timing of the transfer, describing it as an unnecessary obstacle in an already complex case.
Efforts to File Appeal Before Deadline
Opara revealed that Kanu has already begun drafting parts of his appeal from within the correctional centre, demonstrating his active involvement in his own defence.
However, he noted that the physical distance between Sokoto and Abuja is creating procedural delays the team is now racing against time to resolve.
“We are exploring ways to bring him back to Abuja so he can file it, because time is running out,” he said, highlighting the strict deadlines for filing an appeal after a terrorism conviction.
Documents Retrieved After Visit
Eyewitnesses at the prison facility observed Opara and his legal associates leaving with several large document files believed to contain materials directly relating to the appeal process.
These documents are expected to form the foundation of the legal challenge the team intends to mount in response to the life sentence handed down last week.