The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has been moved from the Department of State Services (DSS) facility in Abuja to a correctional centre in Sokoto State.

The development was disclosed on Friday by Kanu’s former counsel, Alloy Ejimakor, who raised concerns over the transfer.

In a post on X, Ejimakor said the relocation places Kanu far from his lawyers, family, and supporters, urging the Igbo community to remain calm while questioning the rationale behind moving the separatist leader to Sokoto.

Ejimakor drew historical comparisons, noting that when late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was convicted in 1963, he was sent to the Eastern Region, which served as a neutral zone in his dispute with the North. He added that President Bola Tinubu still has the opportunity “to halt this drift.”

Recall, Kanu was on Thursday sentenced to life imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Abuja after being found guilty of seven terrorism-related charges. IPOB has rejected the ruling, describing it as unlawful and politically motivated.

Similarly, activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore alleged that the Tinubu administration “secretly transferred” Kanu to the Sokoto correctional facility. According to Sowore, the move was premeditated.

“They planned it yesterday. Their intention was to move Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to a notorious prison in the northern region where his safety cannot be guaranteed. I can confirm now that he is already in Sokoto prison,” Sowore claimed.

He further alleged that officials opposed the idea of detaining Kanu at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, arguing that his supporters would turn the facility “into a place of pilgrimage.” He accused the government of seeking to isolate and weaken the IPOB leader.

Sowore also claimed that efforts by some politicians from Kanu’s region contributed to his continued detention, insisting they fear his influence and popular support.

The Federal Government has yet to issue an official statement confirming or addressing the reported transfer.