Sultan of Sokoto Jokes ‘Nnamdi Kanu Is Now My Subject, I’ll Soon Turban Him’

A light-hearted remark by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has added an unexpected twist to Governor Alex Otti’s visit to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, at the Sokoto Correctional Centre on Sunday.

Governor Otti, who led a delegation to see Kanu, told the IPOB leader that the Sultan had expressed support for a peaceful resolution of the matter – and had jokingly remarked that Kanu was now his “subject” and would soon be turbaned.

Alex Otti with other officials during the visit

The comment, reportedly delivered in jest, drew laughter from Kanu, who has been held in custody since his conviction.

Otti was accompanied on the visit by Kanu’s younger brother, Emmanuel Kanu; the Abia State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ikechukwu Uwanna (SAN); and his media adviser, Ferdinand Ekeoma. Some officials of the Sokoto State Government were also present.

Ekeoma, in a statement after the visit, said Otti encouraged the IPOB leader to remain hopeful, assuring him that engagements initiated over two years ago to secure his release had been intensified.

He quoted the governor as saying that the issue would be resolved “administratively” and expressed confidence that Kanu would soon regain his freedom.

Alex Otti with other officials during the visit

According to the statement, Kanu was in high spirits during the meeting. He thanked Otti for the visit, praised the governor’s development efforts in Abia State, and urged him to remain focused on governance. He also prayed for Otti and his entourage.

The governor’s disclosure of the Sultan’s humorous remark has sparked reactions, coming at a time when conversations around reconciliation and national unity continue to dominate discourse surrounding Kanu’s prolonged detention.