IPOB REJECTS THE UNLAWFUL SENTENCING OF MAZI NNAMDI KANU AND CONDEMNS HIS DANGEROUS TRANSFER TO SOKOTO MAXIMUM PRISON

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The global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) strongly condemns the unjust life sentence handed to our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and his sudden transfer to the Sokoto Maximum Security Prison—one of the most volatile detention facilities in Nigeria.

This action represents a deepening pattern of persecution, political targeting, and disregard for constitutional and international human-rights obligations.

1. A Judgment Plagued by Illegality and Political Motivation

Nigerians and the international community are still struggling to understand how a man advocating peaceful self-determination could be sentenced to life imprisonment under:

A repealed law,

After extraordinary rendition,

Following years of solitary confinement, and

In clear violation of the Court of Appeal’s 2022 judgment that discharged him.

Before the dust settled on this unlawful sentence, he was relocated to an extremely unsafe prison environment in Sokoto State.

These actions clearly show that the Federal Government is persecuting, not prosecuting, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

2. A Dangerous and Inexplicable Transfer

The transfer to Sokoto—a region battling violent extremist groups—raises serious concerns:

It exposes him to grave security risks,

It undermines his right to life,

It appears aimed at frustrating his appeal process, and

It disregards clear warnings from his medical team and lawyers.

The government knows the security realities in Sokoto. Transferring him there can only be interpreted as an attempt to endanger his life.

We hold the Nigerian Government fully responsible for his safety.

3. The Persecution of Nnamdi Kanu Is Now Impossible to Deny

The chronology of events speaks for itself:

Abducted in Kenya Illegally renditioned to Nigeria 

Tortured and held incommunicado

Detained in DSS solitary confinement for almost five years

Denied compliance with the Appeal Court ruling

Retried under a non-existent law

Sentenced to life imprisonment

Moved to a terror-prone prison facility

This consistent pattern reinforces IPOB’s position:

Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is being politically targeted and ethnically profiled.

4. Biafrans Are Not Safe in Nigeria

The current situation confirms what Biafrans have endured for decades:

A persistent pattern of marginalisation, dehumanisation, and systemic injustice.

These actions show that:

Biafran lives are treated as expendable.

The state deploys the instruments of power selectively.

Institutions meant to ensure justice are used for political vendetta.

This reality must be confronted peacefully but firmly.

5. IPOB’s Warning and Appeal

We hereby request and demand:

To the Nigerian Government:

Guarantee Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s safety.

Ensure his right to appeal is not hindered.

Stop using the justice system as a weapon of political persecution.

To the International Community:

Observe closely what is unfolding.

A life sentence and transfer to a high-risk facility, under these circumstances, violate:

The Nigerian Constitution,

The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights,

The UN Convention on Torture,

And every known democratic standard.

6. IPOB Remains a Peaceful Self-Determination Movement

IPOB is guided by international law and has remained peaceful despite extreme provocation.

No amount of intimidation, imprisonment, or violence can stop a people from seeking the right to self-determination, which is recognised by:

UN Charter,

ICCPR,

African Charter, and

Longstanding global legal precedent.

If the Nigerian Government genuinely wishes to end the agitation, there is a simple and democratic path:

Conduct a UN-supervised referendum.

Whatever decision Biafrans make through such a referendum, IPOB will accept.

Until that lawful process is carried out, the government bears full responsibility for ensuring that no harm comes to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.