“How Could I Have Committed the Crimes I Was Convicted For While in DSS Custody?” – Nnamdi Kanu Questions Nigerian Judiciary
Bishop’s firsthand account from Sokoto Prison deepens public outrage as IPOB leader exposes contradictions in terrorism conviction delivered under repealed laws.
Sokoto, Nigeria – November 29, 2025
Nigeria’s judicial system has again been thrust into the global spotlight following the controversial conviction of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who has recently questioned how he could have committed the very crimes he was sentenced for while under the strict custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
On November 20, the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered a widely condemned judgment, sentencing Kanu to life imprisonment on seven terrorism-related charges, charges rooted in events that took place during periods when he was detained incommunicado, and a trial that has been deemed illegal by various local and international courts.
Legal experts, human rights groups, and foreign observers have labeled the judgment “a judicial catastrophe” and “the clearest evidence that the Nigerian judiciary has collapsed under political pressure.”
Multiple legal briefs, including Kanu’s own filings, argue that the court relied on a repealed terrorism law and ignored binding appellate decisions, a constitutional violation now at the center of his appeal.
But what happened after the judgment has triggered even more alarm.
A Midnight Transfer Meant to Isolate Him
Less than 24 hours after the outrageous ruling, authorities transferred Kanu from DSS custody in Abuja to the Sokoto Maximum Security Custodial Centre, nearly 900 kilometers away.
Critics say the move is no accident.
Human rights groups argue that the objective is simple: cut him off from lawyers, family, political allies, and the global community following his case.
Kanu’s siblings and legal team were not informed ahead of the transfer, raising fears that the government is now trying to control who sees him and what becomes of him.
A Bishop Travels Across Nigeria to See Him
To verify Kanu’s welfare and provide encouragement, the Right Reverend Dr. Ike Egbeonu, Bishop of the Diocese of Oji River in Enugu State, traveled to Sokoto.
What he witnessed, and what Kanu told him, has strengthened public disbelief at the trial’s legitimacy.
“He’s Living Above the Dehumanizing Conditions”
Speaking to AIT, Bishop Egbeonu described Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as a man who remains remarkably centered despite the state’s efforts to break him:
“In the midst of the dehumanizing condition he is subjected to, he is living like a man above the situation. He spoke of his heart condition, but I do not know how well he is being cared for. Still, he was not depressed. He was encouraging us instead.”
The Bishop said their meeting was supposed to be one of comforting Kanu, but instead:
“He was advising us, telling me to tell Biafran youths to calm down, not to take laws into their hands, not to destroy anything.”
Even in chains, the IPOB leader remains a calming voice in a region that has been severely marginalized.
Kanu Exposes Illegality in His Conviction
During the conversation, Kanu revealed glaring contradictions in the charges.
“Some of the things I was sentenced for happened while I was in DSS custody. How could I have committed such acts when I was detained?” he reportedly asked.
This aligns with multiple legal briefs he had filed, arguing that:
- The court refused to address jurisdictional issues
- The court relied on charges unsupported by evidence
- The trial proceeded under a terrorism law repealed in 2022
- The judge ignored binding appellate rulings ordering his release
These revelations further highlight allegations that the trial was designed not to deliver justice but to achieve a predetermined outcome which is to silence a major political voice in Nigeria.
What Does This Mean for His Appeal, and for Nigeria?
Legal analysts say the contradictions in the trial record, the use of repealed laws, refusal to address jurisdictional concerns, and the disregard of appellate rulings will likely form the backbone of a powerful appeal.
Meanwhile, Nigeria do not see the judiciary as capable of administering justice, citing the blatant abuse of the judiciary by the Nigerian government in his case, especially the “ridiculous” ruling by Justice James Omotosho, despite conflicting evidence.
To many freedom advocates worldwide, Kanu’s conviction is now seen as a test of Nigeria’s democracy, a referendum on the rule of law, a defining moment for human rights on the African continent.
His story, a man allegedly convicted for crimes committed while under government detention, has transformed him from a separatist leader to a global symbol of state persecution.
For millions of his supporters, the question Kanu poses is one the Nigerian judiciary must answer:
“How could I have committed crimes while in DSS custody?”
Until the Nigerian state addresses this question, and the deeper constitutional violations surrounding his trial, outrage will continue to grow, both at home and abroad.
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