“I didn’t join Alex Otti to visit Nnamdi Kanu” – Sokoto governor clarifies

The Sokoto statement government has dismissed reports claiming that Governor Ahmed Aliyu accompanied Alex Otti, his Abia counterpart, to visit Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), at the Sokoto Custodial Centre.

In a statement on Friday, Abubakar Bawa, spokesperson to the governor, described the publication as misleading and false, adding that Aliyu was not in the country at the time of the visit.

Bawa said the governor was in Saudi Arabia performing the lesser hajj as of 30 November 2025, the same period Otti was in Sokoto for a private engagement.

He said Otti was received at the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport by selected commissioners and special advisers, who later led him to Government House for the standard protocol reception accorded to visiting governors.

The government said Sokoto has a long tradition of hospitality and treats all visitors with dignity, regardless of ethnicity, region or religion.

It added that Aliyu remains a committed leader who prioritises peace, respects constituted authority and upholds the unity and stability of the country.