Governor Alex Otti of Abia State on Sunday assured the detained leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra ( IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, of his unwavering commitment to ensure that he is released.
Mr Kanu was on the 20th of November, 2025, sentenced to life imprisonment by Justice James Omotosho of the federal high court sitting in Abuja.
Prior to his sentencing, Kanu spent over five years in the custody of Department of State Service ( DSS) after he was extraordinarily renditioned from Kenya to Nigeria in 2021.
In a statement after visiting Kanu, at the Sokoto Correctional Centre, in Sokoto State, governor Otti encouraged the IPOB leader to remain strong, assuring that the engagements he started over two years ago, which the IPOB leader has been aware of, have been intensified in spite of what happened.
The Governor enjoined Kanu to remain calm but strong, assuring that the issue will be resolved administratively and that he Mazi Kanu will regain his freedom.
Governor Otti expressed joy that the Sultan of Sokoto is on the same page with him on the need for Kanu’s freedom and de-escalation of tension, and informed Mazi Kanu that the Sultan of Sokoto had on a lighter note told him that Kanu is now his subject and he was going to Turbane him, an information that got the IPOB Leader laughing loudly.
Responding, Mazi Kanu who was beaming with smiles and in high spirits, thanked Governor Otti for the visit, and stated that he wasn’t surprised that the Governor quickly came visiting, because he had done the same thing in the past.
He told the Governor that he is very proud of his giant strides in Abia based on the feedbacks he gets from home about the state since he assumed office, a feat he said is replicating what Late Dee Sam Mbakwe did as Governor of Old Imo State which has kept him permanently immortalised, and called on the Governor to continue to serve the people diligently.
The IPOB leader told Governor Otti that he Kanu is only interested in good governance and anything that could better the lot of the people, and prayed God to continue to be with the Governor and his team as they serve the people of the state.
Governor Otti was accompanied on the visit by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ikechukwu Uwanna, SAN, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, and some top Sokoto State government officials, including Commissioners and advisers.
Also present during the visit was Kanu’s younger brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu.
