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Claim: A Facebook user claimed that Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, has been released from prison after meeting his bail conditions.
Verdict: False. The video supporting the claim is from April 2017, when Kanu was released from Kuje Prison after meeting the bail conditions set by Justice Binta Nyako. The IPOB leader is currently held at the Correctional Centre in Sokoto after his re-arrest in November 2025.
Full Text
The apprehension, imprisonment and conviction of two prominent pro-Biafra figures, Nnamdi Kanu and Simon Ekpa, did not bring an end to the ideology or agitation associated with the movement. Instead, their detention has continued to draw reactions from followers and supporters, many of whom remain active on social media and share information about the two leaders and efforts to secure their release.
Social media users have repeatedly shared reports of efforts to secure Kanu’s release or that his release will take effect soon.
A Facebook user, @Daddy mummy family, recently claimed that Nnamdi Kanu has been released (archived here) from prison after meeting bail conditions.
The claim, which was shared in a video, features images of Kanu and the Biafran flag, with a Channels Television news report playing at the centre. In the report, a Channels Television reporter is heard saying:
“We begin tonight with the release of the self-styled leader of the indigenous people of Biafra, Mr Nnamdi Kanu, from the custody of the Kuje prison following the bail granted to him by Justice Binta Nyako. Kanu, who was brought to the Federal High Court in Abuja, regained his freedom after reflecting and perfecting his bail condition. Accompanied by family members and lawyers, Kanu signed his own portion of the bail paper to pave the way for his release.”
The caption attached to the video read, “Biafrans, good news.”
As of Sept. 10, 2026, when the video was last seen, it had amassed over 6,000 likes, 526 comments, 900 shares, and 500,000 views.
DUBAWA checked the responses from other users on the post to see what they thought.
One user, @David Okoh, said, “Wow, good news. Congratulations, man of the people.”
@Koko Emmanuel, who also appeared to affirm the claim, replied, “Congratulations, this is a momentous occasion for justice and freedom. May it be a turning point for all.”
While most users in the comments appeared to believe and celebrate the update, one user, @Princess Eby, asked, “Is this real?”
The same claim was also shared here, here, and here.
The claim concerns the current legal status of a prominent pro-Biafra leader and has attracted attention on social media. DUBAWA decided to verify whether Nnamdi Kanu had been released from prison.
Verification
To verify the claim, DUBAWA broke the viral video down into keyframes using InVID-WeVerify and ran a reverse image search on the resulting stills.
This traced the footage to a clearer version of the original broadcast published on Channels Television’s YouTube channel on April 28, 2017.
Multiple contemporaneous reports of the same event corroborated the trial, including Vanguard and The Guardian Nigeria, all of which describe Kanu signing his bail papers and leaving Kuje prison on the evening of April 28, 2017, accompanied by his lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, and three sureties, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.
The video now circulating as “news” is therefore nine-year-old footage of a real event, lifted from its original context and recaptioned to suggest it just happened.
DUBAWA then searched for recent news reports indicating Kanu has been released, granted bail, or had his sentence overturned. No such report exists. Instead, the most recent independently reported news confirms he is still in custody.
On Nov. 20, 2025, the Federal High Court in Abuja convicted Kanu on all seven counts of terrorism brought against him, and Justice James Omotosho sentenced him to life imprisonment. He filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal on Feb. 4, 2026, seeking to have the conviction quashed.
As of early September 2026, that appeal has still not been heard. IPOB and Kanu’s family say the federal government has not filed its response, and the Court of Appeal has yet to list the case for hearing, despite the record of appeal having already been transmitted.
Multiple reports also confirm Kanu’s current location. Following his conviction, he was moved from DSS custody in Abuja to the Correctional Centre in Sokoto State, where he remains held to date.
Conclusion
The claim is false. The video is old footage of Kanu’s 2017 release from Kuje Prison and does not show a recent release.