A growing atmosphere of tension is sweeping through Sokoto metropolis following the transfer of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu to the Sokoto Central Correctional Centre, where he is serving his sentence. His presence has disrupted normal routines across neighbourhoods, particularly around Yar Marina, the city’s historic hub that hosts the facility.
Residents say the prison’s proximity to the Sultan’s Palace and Sokoto North Local Government Secretariat has amplified public unease. For many, it is a rare moment of heightened national attention focused on the city, reminiscent of past high-profile incarcerations.
Kabiru Mohammed Gobirawa, a veteran journalist, recalled that the correctional centre once held former NYSC Director General Colonel Peter Obasa (retd.) in the 1980s, though without the level of activity and constant visits now associated with Kanu’s detention. “We only hope this situation does not worsen the tension in a state already struggling with security concerns,” he said.
Kanu was relocated to Sokoto shortly after his sentencing by a Federal High Court in Abuja, which authorised the DSS to keep him in any facility nationwide—a move that has drawn criticism from legal experts. Almost immediately after his transfer, security checkpoints sprang up, patrols intensified and movement around the facility narrowed sharply.
The Yar Marina axis is no stranger to security concerns. It hosts Police Zone 10 headquarters and the office of the AIG, near buildings still bearing marks from a 2016 suicide blast that claimed a policeman’s life. That same year, another bomb exploded at a divisional police station in Unguwar Rogo.
Despite regular business activities continuing, residents say the city feels different. Traders and commuters speak of a persistent sense of caution, with many admitting to limiting movement after dark. “We are working, but fear has joined us,” said Alhaji Sani Alfa, a trader. Another resident, Fatima Mai Masa, noted the heavy presence of soldiers and police. “Even children know things are not normal,” she said.
The correctional centre has become a magnet for political figures, lawyers and sympathisers. A recent visit by the Abia State Governor sparked visible tension. Shop owner Muchedi Dan Marina said the atmosphere tightens each time a high-profile visitor arrives. “You don’t know what the next visit will bring,” she added.
Last Sunday, Kanu’s lawyer, Dr Maxwell Opara, arrived with four associates for consultations. Opara later questioned the logic of relocating Kanu so far from his legal base in Abuja, arguing that the transfer complicates court proceedings and limits access. Another member of the legal team, Aloy Ejimakor, echoed these concerns. Correctional staff have remained largely silent, though one officer confirmed that Kanu is under strict supervision.
Journalists attempting to reach the facility have been repeatedly turned back, with security personnel enforcing thorough checks even on residents living nearby.
Meanwhile, the Sokoto State government has denied reports that Governor Ahmed Aliyu accompanied Governor Alex Otti of Abia State during his visit to Kanu. In a statement from the governor’s spokesperson, Abubakar Bawa, the claim was dismissed as false, noting that Governor Aliyu was in Saudi Arabia for Lesser Hajj at the time. The government said Governor Otti received the standard protocol welcome extended to visiting state leaders.
Reaffirming Sokoto’s long-standing culture of hospitality, the statement stressed that the governor remains committed to peace, unity and respect for lawful authority.
For now, Sokoto continues to move with caution. Life goes on—shops open, schools function, and traffic flows—but beneath the calm, an undercurrent of uncertainty lingers.
