Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, on Sunday, visited the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPoB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, at the Sokoto Correctional Centre, and assured him that his sentence would be resolved administratively.
On 20 November 2025, a Federal High Court in Abuja had sentenced Kanu, who hails from Isiama Afara Ukwu of Umuahia North Local Government in Abia State, to life imprisonment for terrorism.
Justice James Omotosho had found him guilty on all seven charges, some of which earned him 20 and five-year imprisonment with all convictions to run concurrently.
Discussing with Kanu during the visit, Otti encouraged him to remain strong, assuring that the engagements he started over two years ago had been intensified in spite of what happened.
According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, the governor urged Kanu to remain calm but strong, and that he would regain freedom.
Otti expressed joy that the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar IV is on the same page with him on the need for Kanu’s freedom and de-escalation of tension.
The governor informed Kanu that, the Sultan had, on a lighter note, told him that Kanu is now his subject and he was going to turban him, an information that got the IPoB leader laughing loudly.
Responding, Kanu, who was beaming with smiles and in high spirits, thanked Otti for the visit, and stated that he was not surprised that he quickly came visiting, because he had done the same thing in the past.
Kanu told the governor that he was very proud of his giant strides in Abia State based on the feedbacks he gets from home about the state since he assumed office, a feat he said is replicating what Chief Sam Mbakwe did as Governor of old Imo State, which has kept him permanently immortalised, and called on Otti to continue to serve the people diligently.
Today’s Abia State was part of the old Imo State which Mbakwe ruled from 1 October 1979 to 31 December 1983.
Kanu said that he is only interested in good governance and anything that could better the lot of the people, and prayed God to continue to be with Otti and his team as they serve the people of the state.
The governor was accompanied on the visit by the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ikechukwu Uwanna; 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.
