By Stephen — Dalena Reporters
November 27, 2025
ABUJA — A Federal High Court in Abuja has declined to issue a production warrant to bring detained leader Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) – Nnamdi Kanu from his prison location in Sokoto to the capital, for a scheduled hearing to “settle records” in his appeal proceedings. The refusal has sparked fresh outcry from his legal team, who warn that the decision undermines his constitutional right to fair hearing.
Kanu was summoned to appear in court on November 28 for the record-settlement session, a standard procedural step for appeals filed before his recent sentencing. His lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor (Special Counsel to Kanu), posted the court summons on social media — but expressed shock that the court refused to grant the production warrant, which is necessary to transfer Kanu from detention in Sokoto to Abuja.
Ejimakor argued that without physically presenting Kanu in court, the session cannot proceed — effectively rendering the appeal process stalled. He warned that the refusal infringes on Kanu’s rights under Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the right to fair hearing. With Kanu imprisoned hundreds of kilometres away, the lawyer noted, access to legal counsel and necessary court procedures becomes extremely difficult.
Supporters and legal observers have described the court’s decision as a serious setback to the rule of law and due-process guarantees, pointing to past legal turbulence in the separatist leader’s case — including his controversial extradition, repeated objections to jurisdiction, and eventual conviction on terrorism charges.
As the appeal-record hearing looms, the refusal to produce Kanu leaves unresolved questions about whether the judicial system will afford him the procedural fairness guaranteed under Nigerian law. Dalena Reporters will continue to monitor developments and report any further court orders or reactions from defence lawyers, human-rights groups, and government authorities.