BLESSING OMALE, Abuja
The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled December 8 for the hearing of an ex parte motion filed by the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, seeking to be transferred from the Sokoto Correctional Facility to a custodial centre closer to the Federal Capital Territory.
Kanu was convicted on November 20, 2025, after Justice James Omotosho found him guilty on all seven terrorism charges brought against him by the Federal Government.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment and subsequently transferred to Sokoto on the court’s directive, following concerns over his safety at the Kuje Correctional Centre, which has recorded multiple high-profile prison breaks.
Before his conviction, Kanu had dismissed his legal team and elected to represent himself.
Tension briefly rose in court on Thursday when Kanu’s younger brother, Emmanuel, attempted to stand in for the IPOB leader.
When the case was called, Justice Omotosho requested the appearance of a lawyer, but Emmanuel who is not a legal practitioner stood up to announce his appearance.
The judge immediately ruled that he could not be heard.
“This ex parte motion cannot be moved on the convict’s behalf because you are not a legal practitioner,” Justice Omotosho said, stressing that only a lawyer enrolled at the Supreme Court could represent a defendant.
He advised Emmanuel to engage a lawyer or approach the Legal Aid Council if necessary.
“I am not going into the merit of this application now in the interest of justice, but you cannot represent a human being when you are not a lawyer; you can only represent a corporate body.
For you to be qualified as a lawyer, it will take you another six years or thereabout. So get a counsel to move the application”, the judge said.
Despite noting that the court already had matters scheduled for Monday, Justice Omotosho assured that Kanu’s case would be accommodated.
Emmanuel thanked the court before stepping down.
Justice Omotosho also used the session to correct what he described as “erroneous opinions” about Kanu’s appeal process, particularly comments attributed to one of Kanu’s formerly disengaged lawyers, Aloy Ejimakor, who had suggested that Kanu’s absence in court could frustrate the preparation of his appeal record.
The judge dismissed this view, saying, “the defendant may not be in court to compile a record. His attendance is not required, though the appearance of his representative may be required.
The rights of a defendant are different from the rights of a convict.”
He asked lawyers in court whether Kanu’s presence was necessary for compiling an appeal record, and they unanimously responded in the negative.
Justice Omotosho then urged Emmanuel to obtain proper legal guidance, warning that “any lawyer grossly inadequate in appellate procedure should stop misleading the public.”
In the ex parte motion personally signed by him, Kanu is asking the court to deem the application moved in his absence since it is “impossible” for him to appear in open court or chambers.
He also seeks an order compelling the Federal Government or the Nigerian Correctional Service to transfer him from Sokoto to a correctional centre within the court’s jurisdiction, preferably Suleja or Keffi to enable him prosecute his appeal.
Kanu argued that his current location, more than 700 kilometres from Abuja, makes it nearly impossible to prepare his notice and record of appeal, particularly as he is currently without legal representation.
He said all persons assisting him, including family, associates and legal consultants are Abuja-based, and that his continued detention in Sokoto imposes “exceptional hardship” and threatens his constitutional right to appeal under Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution.
“It would be in the interest of justice for him to be transferred to a facility near Abuja to effectively prosecute his appeal,” the motion stated.
With the court refusing to entertain submissions from Emmanuel, the matter was adjourned to December 8 for proper hearing.
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