The Concerned Igbo Ministers Commission has condemned the transfer of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from Abuja to the Sokoto Custodial Centre following his November 20 sentencing. In a statement signed by its coordinator, Rev. Tony Uzor Anthony, the group argued that the relocation was unnecessary and questioned the government’s repeated reference to prison insecurity. The clerics said the move places Kanu far from the Abuja courts where his legal processes are ongoing, making it harder for him to access his lawyers and pursue his appeals.
The ministers also raised concerns about the role of the judiciary in approving the transfer, stating that decisions about custodial locations fall under the jurisdiction of the Correctional Service. They described the relocation as a directive influenced by political considerations and called for Kanu’s immediate return to a facility within the Federal Capital Territory. According to the group, the transfer creates obstacles to Kanu’s legal rights and has broader implications for due process and the treatment of citizens within the justice system.