Court Sets December 8 for Hearing on Kanu’s Request for Transfer from Sokoto
The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled December 8, 2025, to hear an application filed by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is seeking to be moved from the Sokoto Correctional Centre to a detention facility closer to the nation’s capital.
The development followed a brief session in which the court declined to entertain the motion because it was not presented by a licensed legal practitioner.
The application, reportedly signed by Kanu himself, asks the court to intervene on grounds that his continued detention in Sokoto poses significant obstacles to the exercise of his constitutional right to pursue an appeal.
According to the applicant, the long distance between Sokoto and Abuja has made it extremely difficult for him to consult with his legal team, prepare court processes, or participate effectively in proceedings related to his conviction.
When the matter was called, a relative of the detained IPOB leader attempted to announce appearance and move the motion, insisting that Kanu had “directed” him to do so. The presiding judge firmly ruled that only a lawyer enrolled to practise before Nigerian courts can move an ex parte application. The court then advised that Kanu should engage the services of a counsel or seek assistance from the Legal Aid Council if necessary.
In the motion before the court, Kanu requests that he be transferred to a facility within Abuja’s jurisdiction, or, if that is not feasible, to a nearby custodial centre such as Suleja or Keffi. He argues that such relocation is essential for him to have proper access to legal support while pursuing the next phase of his legal challenge.
Kanu, who was relocated to Sokoto shortly after his conviction, insists that the move has created what he describes as “exceptional hardship,” citing difficulties in accessing case files, communicating with his lawyers, and attending to urgent legal matters. His legal team maintains that the correctional authorities have a duty to ensure that an inmate facing ongoing litigation is held in a location where legal access is not hindered by logistics or distance.
The upcoming hearing is expected to attract considerable attention, given the high-profile nature of the case and the broader national interest it continues to generate.
The court is expected to determine whether the circumstances outlined by the applicant justify issuing an order directing the authorities to relocate him.
