Tension is gradually building across Sokoto metropolis as residents struggle to cope with the presence of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu who is currently serving his sentence at the Sokoto Central Correctional Centre

The development has unsettled many homes, businesses, transport operators and community dwellers, with fear spreading particularly across Yar Marina, the heart of Sokoto city where the correctional facility sits. The prison is only a short distance from the Sultan’s Palace and close to Sokoto Garka, the administrative seat of Sokoto North Local Government Area, a fact locals say sharply heightens public concern.

Many residents, including Kabiru Mohammed Gobirawa, a seasoned journalist, admitted that this is the second time they are experiencing such a situation involving a high-profile inmate attracting national attention, frequent high-level visitations and heavy security presence on a daily basis. He recalled that the Sokoto Central Prison once housed the former Director General of the National Youth Service Corps NYSC, Colonel Peter Obasa (retd.), who served his prison term there after his conviction by a military tribunal in the 1980s. However, Obasa did not receive visitors as frequently as Kanu whose presence has been a source of anxiety.

“It is our hope and prayers that the IPOB leader’s presence in the state will not trigger another wave of fear and tension in a state that has been grappling with security challenges for almost a decade,” Gobirawa said.

Nnamdi Kanu was transferred to Sokoto shortly after a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced him to life imprisonment. Justice James Omotosho, in his ruling, gave the Department of State Services DSS authority to hold him in any prison within the country, a decision many lawyers and observers have since questioned.

Following the sudden transfer, streets around Yar Marina changed overnight. Security checkpoints emerged, patrol teams became more visible, and movement near the facility was heavily restricted.

Yar Marina is also host to the headquarters of Police Zone 10 and the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG. Neighbouring buildings still bear the scars of a 2016 bomb blast detonated by a yet-to-be-identified suicide bomber which killed a policeman while he was praying in a mosque opposite the AIG office.

The Boko Haram network under the once dreaded figure Kabiru Sokoto attempted in 2016 to establish a base in the state. Another bomb was detonated that year by a suicide bomber at a divisional police station in Unguwar Rogo, killing only the bomber.

Unease

Residents told Sunday Vanguard that while life appears normal, the atmosphere is far from the usual sense of calm. Markets open, traffic flows and schools operate, yet beneath the routine lies a growing wave of unease.

A trader, Alhaji Sani Alfa, captured the public mood. According to him, the tension does not stop people from working but it forces them to look over their shoulders constantly.

“We woke up to heavy deployment around the prison,” he recalled.

“At first we did not understand what was happening until we heard that Kanu had been brought here. Since then things have changed. We are doing business, yes, but with fear and caution.”

Another resident, Fatima Mai Masa, said the situation has forced many families to reduce unnecessary movement, especially at night.

“There are soldiers, police and vehicles moving at every hour. Even children know something is happening,” she said quietly. She added that the fear is not only about Kanu’s presence but also about what his detention in Sokoto could provoke from supporters or enemies elsewhere.

The prison has become a point of national attention, drawing lawyers, loyalists, sympathisers and even top political figures. Last week, in a move that startled many locals, the Governor of Abia State arrived at the facility to visit the IPOB leader. The visit sent a ripple of anxiety across the city.

Muchedi Dan Marina, a shop owner not far from the prison, said each visit ushers in fresh tension because the security around the area doubles instantly.

“You do not know who will come next or what could happen,” she said.

Visit

Last Sunday, Kanu received his lawyer, Dr Maxwell Opara, who visited alongside four associates. The group left the premises carrying several document folders believed to be connected to his appeal. The lawyer later described Kanu as mentally strong and actively preparing for a legal review of his conviction.

However, Opara questioned the logic behind transferring him to Sokoto, a distant city from his court of trial and legal base.

“Our concern is access,” the lawyer stressed.

“His legal team is in Abuja, the court process is there, yet he is here far from where he is needed most. It complicates everything.”

His colleague, Aloy Ejimakor, echoed the sentiment on social media, insisting that relocating Kanu had placed unnecessary barriers between him, his family and legal counsel.

“He has been moved far away from everyone who needs access to him,” Ejimakor wrote.

Correctional authorities have yet to provide an official explanation. However, a staff member quietly confirmed his detention under strict monitoring.

“Yes, he is with us but entry is tightly controlled,” he said, unwilling to say more.

Today, Sokoto walks with caution. Residents speak in whispers, businesses operate with an eye fixed on the prison walls and tension lurks beneath the quiet wind that drifts across Yar Marina. Security remains heavy. Anxiety remains real. And the entire city waits, unsure of what tomorrow brings or how long this unsettling atmosphere will last.

Controversy

All efforts to speak with officials of the Central Correctional Centre proved impossible, as journalists were not allowed access to the routes leading to the facility. Even passersby and residents living within the area were subjected to thorough searches and screening before being allowed passage.

Meanwhile, Sokoto State government has strongly dismissed reports claiming that Governor Ahmed Aliyu accompanied Abia State governor, Dr. Alex Otti, to visit Kanu at the Sokoto Custodial Centre.

In a statement released by the governor’s spokesperson, Abubakar Bawa, it described such claims as misleading and completely untrue, stressing that Governor Aliyu was nowhere near the country at the time.

According to the clarification, Governor Aliyu was in Saudi Arabia performing Lesser Hajj as of November 30, 2025 the same period when Dr. Otti made his private visit to Sokoto.

The statement further explained that upon arrival at the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Dr. Otti was officially received by selected Commissioners and Special Advisers, who took him to Government House for the standard protocol reception reserved for visiting governors.

It emphasized the longstanding tradition of hospitality in Sokoto, noting that visitors are treated with dignity and respect without discrimination based on ethnicity, region, or faith.

The statement reaffirmed that Governor Aliyu remains a committed leader who upholds peace, respects constituted authority, and prioritizes the unity and stability of Nigeria. (Sunday Vanguard)

Update news