The Sokoto State Government has strongly refuted viral reports claiming that Governor Ahmed Aliyu joined Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti during a visit to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, at the Sokoto Custodial Centre.
In a terse statement issued on Friday the governor’s spokesperson, Malam Abubakar Bawa, the administration dismissed the story as “misleading and entirely false,” adding that Governor Aliyu was out of the country at the time of the alleged meeting.
“Governor Ahmed Aliyu was in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia performing the Lesser Hajj (Umrah) as of November 30, 2025—the exact date when Dr. Otti made a private visit to Sokoto,” Bawa clarified.
The statement detailed that upon landing at the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Dr. Otti was accorded standard protocol as a visiting governor. He was received a select team of commissioners and special advisers, who escorted him to Government House for a brief courtesy reception.
“Sokoto has a rich tradition of hospitality, where every visitor—regardless of ethnicity, region, or religion—is treated with utmost dignity and respect. This is the practice we uphold, and nothing more,” the spokesperson emphasized.
The government also used the opportunity to reaffirm Governor Aliyu’s commitment to national unity, describing him as a leader who “respects constituted authority and prioritizes peace and stability across Nigeria.”
The denial comes days after photos and unverified reports circulated on social media, sparking widespread speculation and criticism over the high-profile visit to Kanu, who has been in detention since 2015 on charges of treasonable felony and terrorism.
Governor Otti’s office has yet to clarify on the refuttal Sokoto state government.
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