A Federal High Court has dismissed an application by the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, seeking a transfer from the Sokoto State Correctional Centre. Justice Inyang Ekwo, delivering the ruling, stated that the court lacked the territorial jurisdiction to grant such an order concerning a facility located outside its judicial domain.
Kanu’s legal team had filed the application, arguing that his continued detention in Sokoto, a facility in far northwestern Nigeria, presented severe logistical hardships. They emphasized the extreme distance and cost involved in facilitating visits from his family, legal counsel, and supporters, who are predominantly based in the southeastern part of the country.
The defense further contended that this geographical separation amounted to a violation of Kanu’s constitutional rights to adequate preparation for his defense and to family visits. They argued that maintaining his detention in Sokoto effectively restricted his access to justice and compounded the conditions of his imprisonment.
The prosecution, representing the Nigerian state, opposed the application. Their argument rested on administrative and security grounds, asserting that the location of a detainee is a prerogative of the relevant security and correctional services. They maintained that the current arrangement was based on operational necessities and considerations for Kanu’s own security.
Justice Ekwo’s ruling hinged strictly on the legal principle of jurisdiction. The judge held that a Federal High Court in Abuja does not possess the authority to issue orders mandating the operations or inmate transfers of a correctional facility situated in Sokoto State. The proper legal course, the court suggested, would be to file such an application before a court that has territorial jurisdiction over Sokoto.
This ruling represents a significant legal setback for Kanu’s defense strategy and ensures his detention in Sokoto will continue for the foreseeable future.
The decision underscores the complex legal and political dimensions of his ongoing trial on charges of treason and terrorism, which continue to draw intense national and international attention.
