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Claim: A Facebook post claims Biafra leader Nnamdi Kanu has escaped the DSS detention centre.

Verdict: Insufficient Evidence! There are no recent reports on Nnamdi Kanu’s escape from the DSS detention centre, and efforts to reach the DSS were futile.
Full Text
In 2021, Biafran separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu was reported arrested by the Nigerian government for terrorist operations.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement, which Nnamdi Kanu spearheaded before his first arrest in 2015, initially started as an agitation for an independent state of the Southeast before it suddenly became notorious for a myriad of violent attacks, kidnapping, and social unrest in the region.
Amidst all this, a Facebook user, Machi Johnbosce, posted on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, that the Biafra agitation leader had escaped from the Department of State Service (DSS) detention centre.
The post caption reads, “Breaking News: Nnamdi Kanu Missing from DSS Detention Center, Allegedly Escapes Through Underground Tunnel.”
The Department of State Services (DSS) has announced that Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has escaped from their detention facility. A search has been launched to locate his whereabouts.
The post’s engagement statistics show three likes and four comments as of Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025.
Meanwhile, DUBAWA noticed similar posts shared on other Facebook pages, as seen here and here.
The Biafra leader’s profile and the issue’s sensitivity prompted DUBAWA’s investigation.
Verification
DUBAWA conducted a Google search to determine whether reputable media outlets had published articles on the assertion. In our search, we came across various reports that debunked the claim in June 2024, as seen here, here, and here.
Furthermore, we checked for any recent report of Mr Kanu’s breakout from prison but found none. The most recent report about Mr Kanu was his demand that his trial be transferred to the Southeast for further hearing.
Meanwhile, a Google Reverse Image Search of the pictures uploaded by the Facebook user reveals that they are not related to Mr Kanu’s alleged escape or any recent event, as seen here and here.
We also emailed DSS for clarifications on Nnamdi Kanu’s alleged escape from the agency’s detention centre, but no response was received as of publication time.
Conclusion
Our findings reveal there is no evidence that Mr Kanu escaped DSS detention.