The Federal High Court in Abuja has turned down a request by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, seeking to be moved from the Sokoto Correctional Centre to a facility within the Federal Capital Territory or nearby Nasarawa State.
Kanu, through the Legal Aid Council, had filed an ex parte application asking the court to direct the Federal Government or the Nigerian Correctional Service to relocate him immediately from Sokoto to either the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja or the Keffi Custodial Centre in Nasarawa.
He also asked, in the alternative, to be moved to any custodial facility within the court’s jurisdiction, such as Suleja or Keffi, to allow him to properly pursue his appeal.
His legal team argued that the transfer was necessary so he could effectively exercise his constitutional right to appeal the decisions made against him. They urged the court to order the Nigerian Correctional Service or the Federal Government to move him to any facility under the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
However, Justice James Omotosho declined to grant the request on Monday. The judge ruled that the court could not issue such an order without first hearing from the Federal Government, which is a major party in the matter.
Justice Omotosho then directed Kanu to convert the ex parte application into a motion on notice and serve it on all relevant parties so that they would have the opportunity to be heard. The court fixed January 27, 2026 for the hearing of the motion.
Legal analysts note that the ruling follows regular judicial procedure. Courts rarely grant ex parte applications in situations where the decision would directly affect another party. Instead, they require that all sides be properly notified.
The same judge had earlier declined to recognise the appearance of Kanu’s younger brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, who attempted to represent him in court, explaining that only a qualified lawyer can appear for an accused person.
With the latest ruling, Kanu will now have to file a fresh motion on notice and serve the Federal Government and the Nigerian Correctional Service. The court will then listen to the responses from all sides before deciding whether the transfer request should be approved.
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