The Sokoto State Government has firmly denied reports circulating in some media outlets suggesting that Governor Ahmed Aliyu accompanied Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, during his visit to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, at the Sokoto Custodial Centre.
In a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Abubakar Bawa, the government described the publication as misleading and entirely false.
The statement clarified that Governor Aliyu was in Saudi Arabia performing the Lesser Hajj as of November 30, 2025, the same period Dr. Otti was in Sokoto.
The government explained that upon his arrival at the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Dr. Otti was officially received by a delegation of selected commissioners and special advisers, who then escorted him to Government House for the standard protocol reception accorded to visiting governors.
The Sokoto State Government stressed that the reception accorded to Governor Otti was a reflection of Sokoto’s longstanding culture of hospitality, where all visitors are treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their ethnic, regional, or religious backgrounds.
The statement reaffirmed that Governor Ahmed Aliyu remains a committed leader who upholds peace, respects constituted authority, and prioritizes the unity and stability of Nigeria.
Governor Alex Otti’s visit to Nnamdi Kanu, who was recently convicted of terrorism charges and moved to the Sokoto Correctional Centre, was aimed at assuring the IPOB leader of ongoing efforts to secure his release through administrative channels.
Reports from Governor Otti’s media team confirmed that he was accompanied by the Abia State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, as well as “senior officials of the Sokoto State government”, though they did not mention Governor Aliyu himself.
However, IPOB spokesman Emma Powerful later commended both Governor Otti and Governor Aliyu for the visit, which may have led to the reports the Sokoto State Government is now denying.
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