A former Kaduna Central lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has called for dialogue and peaceful resolution following the life imprisonment sentence handed to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, on terrorism charges.
In a post on X on Friday, Sani drew from his own experience of enduring imprisonment under the military regime to describe life imprisonment as a survivable phase rather than a final end.
Sani, who was convicted and sentenced by the late Gen. Sani Abacha military junta and served in the Aba Correctional Centre between 1995 and 1998, recounted the relative kindness he received from most inmates and warders, despite encounters with “a few tough guys.”
He wrote, “Sentencing a man to life imprisonment is not the end of his life. Some of us have been through life imprisonment and we survived it.
“I served my own life imprisonment in Aba Prisons, Abia State, after spending a year in Kiri Kiri and Port Harcourt prisons.
“The inmates and warders treated me well, except for some few tough guys. There is still room for dialogue to resolve the issue in the interest of peace. Life imprisonment is a phase and not the end.”
Sani’s remarks came amid renewed attention to the detention of Kanu, following reports that he had been moved to a correctional facility in Sokoto.
Kanu’s former lawyer and consultant, Aloy Ejimakor, in a post on X on Friday, expressed concern over the development, saying the relocation places Kanu far from his legal team, family and supporters.
“While urging #Ndigbo to remain calm, I must question the wisdom of sending #MNK to Sokoto prison.
“When Awolowo was convicted in 1963, he was sent to the East, a neutral zone in his feud with the North. Pres. Tinubu can still halt this drift, as I said in this video,” he wrote.
The reported transfer had not been independently confirmed by PUNCH Online as of Friday evening.
Kanu was sentenced on Thursday by the Federal High Court in Abuja for seven terrorism-related charges, a verdict IPOB has rejected as unlawful and politically motivated.
Justice James Omotosho handed him life terms on five of the counts, 20 years on one, and five years on another, all without an option of fine.
The judge also noted that placing Kanu in Kuje Correctional Centre might not be appropriate due to security concerns, suggesting the need for a more secure facility.
Leave a comment