Kanu Won’t Return to Kuje: Justice Omotosho Orders High-Security Detention Amid Fresh Threat Alerts

In a dramatic twist to the ongoing trial of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, the Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that he must not be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre—citing grave security concerns, intelligence warnings, and the sensitivity surrounding his case.

Delivering the ruling on Thursday, Justice Omotosho issued a stern directive that Kuje, the facility previously attacked by armed insurgents in 2022—an incident that saw over 600 inmates escape—is “not sufficiently secure or appropriate for an inmate of Kanu’s profile.” According to TVC News, the judge stressed that national security assessments and fresh intelligence reports indicate that returning Kanu to Kuje would expose him, prison staff, and the judicial process to unnecessary danger.

Justice Omotosho made it clear that the decision was far from preferential treatment. Instead, it was a necessary national security measure, given the high-risk nature of Kanu’s detention and the volatile political atmosphere surrounding his trial. He noted that multiple security agencies had raised red flags over the vulnerability of the facility and the potential for renewed coordinated attacks if Kanu were returned there.

To safeguard both the defendant and public institutions, the court ordered that Kanu be moved to a “more secure, controlled, and federally monitored custodial environment.” The specific location, however, remains undisclosed for security reasons.

Defence Team Reacts: “We Need Transparency”

Kanu’s lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, offered a cautious welcome to the ruling. While acknowledging the defence’s long-standing concerns about Kuje’s safety, Ejimakor warned that the secrecy surrounding the new detention facility raises serious questions about access to legal counsel, medical care, and contact with family members.

He vowed to file fresh motions seeking clarity and guarantees on Kanu’s welfare, insisting that constitutional rights must not be compromised in the name of security.

A Case That Continues to Shake the Nation

With the court having delivered multiple sentences across different counts earlier in the day, this new directive adds yet another layer of tension to a case that continues to spark national debate, ignite political passions, and challenge Nigeria’s security architecture.

As the matter returns to court in the coming weeks, all eyes will remain fixed on Abuja—and on the next move in a legal battle that has become one of the most consequential in Nigeria’s recent history.