Sokoto Prison Visit: Kanu’s Followers Are DOS, Not Proxies

Sokoto, Nigeria – January 22, 2026

A respected Igbo voice, Lolo Nneka Chimezie, has provided a comprehensive, firsthand account of her recent visit to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), at the Sokoto Prison, where he is being held despite subsisting court orders demanding his release.

Speaking during a radio interview days after the visit, Chimezie offered clarity on the leadership structure of IPOB, addressed growing concerns over internal manipulation and alleged profiteering, and issued a rallying call for Igbo solidarity and principled resistance.

According to her, the delegation to Sokoto comprised about 20 persons, including one visitor from the United States, and was led by Eze Nri and his entourage, a move she described as spiritually symbolic given the historic and cultural weight of the Nri Kingdom.

She said Igbo organisations resident in Sokoto received them warmly, arranging transportation and meals, and debunking the persistent stereotype that Igbos lack communal love and cohesion.

“The claim that Igbos do not love each other is a lie,” Chimezie said. “It is usually propagated by those raised outside Igboland, away from Igbo values and communal culture.”

“KANU IS WELL, UNBROKEN, AND FOCUSED”

Chimezie stated unequivocally that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu appeared physically and mentally sound, despite his unlawful detention. She noted that his condition was visibly improved compared to his time in DSS custody in Abuja.

“When we entered, he smiled, and the room lit up,” she said. “He looks better than he did in the DSS dungeon.”

She also commended the Sokoto prison warders for their civility and professionalism, contrasting their conduct with what she described as the hostility encountered at the hands of security operatives in other parts of the country.

DOS CONFIRMED AS IPOB LEADERSHIP

In one of the most consequential revelations from the visit, Chimezie said she directly asked Kanu to clarify who truly represents IPOB, amid allegations fuelled by voices interested in competing and factionalising the movement.

“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was very clear,” she said. “His followers are represented by the Directorate of State (DOS). IPOB is the organisation he leads, and the DOS is its leadership.”

She further disclosed that Kanu categorically denied handing over leadership to Simon Ekpa, explaining that Ekpa was only asked at some point to join radio broadcasts and nothing more.

“He said when Ekpa went beyond instruction, he publicly disowned those actions,” Chimezie stressed. “Ekpa has nothing to do with the leadership of IPOB.”

WARNING AGAINST DIVISION, MONETISATION, AND FAMILY INTERFERENCE

Chimezie did not mince words in confronting Kanu over concerns surrounding alleged compromises, particularly accusations that his siblings and associates are exploiting Biafra and his name for financial gain.

She warned that history offers painful lessons, citing the decline of Ralph Uwazuruike, once widely revered before internal contradictions eroded his credibility.

“I told him plainly: you are no longer just a family member; you are an Igbo leader made by the people. Your siblings have no authority to hijack IPOB or monetise this struggle.”

She cautioned that allowing relatives to operate unchecked would slowly damage his moral authority and give enemies ammunition to discredit the movement.

“If Igbos stop giving money to his family, they will abandon him,” she warned him. “That is when the truth will become clear.”

She also raised concerns about fundraising abuses, naming lawyer Aloy Ejimakor among those accused of using Kanu’s name to solicit funds, and questioned whether some actors benefit from prolonging his detention.

KANU’S DIRECT MESSAGE TO THE WORLD

According to Chimezie, Kanu mandated her to publicly relay a clear instruction:

• No one should pay money to any individual or family member to visit him.

• All engagements, contributions, or support must go strictly through the DOS.

• Anyone wishing to visit him should make independent arrangements, using a designated contact who liaises directly with prison authorities.

“He said, ‘Tell the world: my followers are DOS,’” Chimezie emphasized.

CALL TO TURN SOKOTO INTO A PILGRIMAGE

In a passionate appeal, Chimezie urged Igbos at home and in the diaspora to turn visits to Sokoto prison into a sustained, peaceful protest, describing it as a moral obligation.

“Let us make Sokoto a pilgrimage,” she declared. “If you are wealthy and cannot go, sponsor young people to go. Any other financial support should go to the DOS.”

She challenged major Igbo commercial hubs such as Alaba, Ladipo, Aspanda to organise mass visits, even to the point of chartering planes every weekend, as a show of unwavering resolve.

ON SIT-AT-HOME, MEDIA BLACKMAIL, AND STATE VIOLENCE

Chimezie accused sections of the Nigerian media of weaponising the sit-at-home protests to justify militarisation of the South-East, stating that IPOB was later blamed for crimes it did not commit.

She spoke emotionally about killings and disappearances of Igbo youths, insisting that IPOB members have never been involved in any form of criminality as little as property destruction due to anger.

“They took our children, killed them, and buried them in borrow pits,” she said. “We obeyed sit-at-home peacefully. We did not disturb anyone.”

“HE WILL NOT LEAVE WITHOUT BIAFRA”

Chimezie concluded by reaffirming Kanu’s resolve, saying he showed no desperation to leave prison at the cost of principle.

“He said he will not leave without the restoration of Biafra,” she reported. “What he wants to know is whether the people he is fighting for truly stand with him.”

She urged courage, unity, and discipline, insisting that IPOB, under the DOS, remains the legitimate vehicle of the struggle.

“This is a point of no return,” she said. “Lives have been lost. We must not allow confusion, greed, or fear to destroy what so many have sacrificed for.”