December 18, 2025 — Dalena Reporters
Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Sokoto, has paid a solidarity visit to Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), at the Sokoto Correctional Centre, human rights advocates and family sources confirmed on Thursday.
The visit was disclosed by Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), who commended Bishop Kukah for offering moral and spiritual support to Kanu during what has been described as a difficult period of detention. Sowore wrote on social media that the bishop’s presence “symbolizes your solidarity and that of Sokoto Diocese with #MNK in this time of distress.”
Kanu, a controversial separatist figure who leads the proscribed IPOB movement, was convicted on terrorism-related charges by the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 20, 2025, and sentenced to life imprisonment. The charges included incitement and unlawful broadcasts, and were prosecuted by the Federal Government.
Following his conviction, the court ordered that he be held in a correctional centre other than Kuje Prison, and he was subsequently transferred to Sokoto on November 21, 2025, a move that has since drawn legal challenges from his defence team. His lawyers have filed motions arguing that the distance to Sokoto inhibits his ability to prepare for appeals, access court materials and consult with legal counsel.
According to family and legal sources, Bishop Kukah’s visit was reportedly cordial and included prayer, with Prince Emmanuel Kanu — Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother, noting that the interaction was marked by laughter and joy during their discussions at the custodial centre.
The visit adds to a series of high-profile visits Kanu has received since his detention in Sokoto. Earlier in late November, Abia State Governor Alex Otti and Sokoto State Governor Ahmad Aliyu also visited the IPOB leader.
Bishop Kukah’s gesture, widely shared by advocates and commentators online, has been interpreted by supporters as a sign of interfaith and national concern for humane treatment of detainees, even amid very divergent political views. It also underscores ongoing debates in Nigeria over the legal proceedings against Kanu, the broader security implications of his movement, and the Catholic Church’s role in national reconciliation efforts.
As of reporting time, neither the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto nor Nigerian Correctional authorities had issued an official public statement on the visit.