The family of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has said he will not leave the Sokoto Custodial Centre for Abuja unless directed by a court, insisting that his place of detention remains a key issue in his appeal.
In a statement signed by Emmanuel Kanu on behalf of the family, they said any voluntary relocation outside the judicial process could weaken the legal arguments before the Court of Appeal.
The statement followed comments by Kanu’s wife, Uchechi Okwu-Kanu, who disclosed that her husband rejected a proposed transfer to Abuja despite the challenges the distance poses to family visits and legal consultations.
According to the family, Kanu’s legal team is challenging remarks made in a November 2025 judgment, arguing that the circumstances surrounding his transfer to Sokoto form part of the appeal and should be determined by the court.
The family also said Kanu declined an offer conveyed through British consular officials to facilitate his relocation, maintaining that any change in his place of detention must come through a lawful court order.
It urged IPOB supporters to refrain from mounting pressure for his transfer, saying the Court of Appeal would determine the matter.
