The Igbo community in Sokoto State marked this year’s Christmas Day by visiting inmates at the Sokoto Correctional Centre, where the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, is currently held.
In a statement signed by Nze A. C. Madu and shared with journalists on Thursday, the community described the visit as an act of compassion and communal solidarity.
According to the statement, the initiative was inspired by Kanu’s reported preference not to dine alone, especially during the festive season.
“Rather than limiting their generosity to a single individual, they provided festive meals for the entire inmate population, ensuring that all approximately 1,300 inmates shared in the spirit of the season,” the statement said.
It added that members of the Igbo community not only shared meals with inmates but also engaged in fellowship during the outreach.
The gesture, the statement noted, was rooted in the Igbo principle of being one’s brother’s keeper, as well as universal values of charity and fellowship.
“It was performed as a humanitarian service to all, irrespective of origin or circumstance, offering a moment of comfort and inclusivity during the holiday period,” the statement added.
The Sokoto Igbo community expressed hope that the outreach would promote peace, unity, and goodwill beyond the festive season.
Recall that Kanu was transferred to the Sokoto Correctional Centre after Justice James Omotosho sentenced him to life imprisonment in November 2025 over terrorism charges.
The court also handed him a 20-year term on count three and a five-year term on count seven, both without an option of fine, following his conviction on all seven terrorism-related charges.
