Claim:

A viral video circulating on social media claims that the Sultan of Sokoto urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu to avert war in Nigeria.

Verdict:

False and Unverified. No verifiable evidence, official statements, or credible media reports substantiate claims that the Sultan of Sokoto issued such a call. The video contains a fabricated script, incorrectly attributing remarks to the Sultan.

Background

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been in detention since 2021 after being forcibly repatriated from Kenya by the Nigerian government. He faces charges of treason and terrorism, including allegedly inciting violence and enforcing lockdowns across South-Eastern states.

In October 2022, the Court of Appeal in Abuja discharged and acquitted Kanu, but the Supreme Court later overturned the ruling, stating that although the manner of his arrest was illegal, it did not invalidate his trial.

In June 2025, a Kenyan High Court ruled that Kanu’s abduction, detention, torture, and transfer to Nigeria were unlawful.

Kanu’s detention has attracted significant public attention. Various groups — including the South-East Governors’ Forum, American Military Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), and human rights activist Omoyele Sowore through the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest of October 20, 2025 — have called for his release.

Amid this public pressure, a video published by a YouTube page named “Graceland,” containing an embedded script attributed to the Sultan of Sokoto demanding Kanu’s release, went viral. As of October 21, 2025, the video had 23,428 views and 383 likes. The same content has since been shared across YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

scanned copy of the video

Public Reactions

The video triggered mixed reactions online. @StephenKanu-v5f praised the supposed declaration, saying: “Sultan, you have told them the truth. Let us come together and agree to go our different ways.”@adedoyinakanbi5677 dismissed it as incitement against the government. @benolukwu6925 questioned its authenticity, asking: “Show us where the Sultan of Sokoto spoke about free Nnamdi Kanu.”

These conflicting reactions prompted NDR FactCheck to verify the claim.

Verification Process

A keyframe analysis using the InVid verification tool produced four frames. These include i. A crowd gathering; ii. A person speaking in an unrelated context; iii. A generic public event speech and iv. An image with a “Voice Over Recording” (VOR) element.

These frames lacked any identifiable link to the Sultan of Sokoto.

Reverse Image Search

Reverse image searches showed that the frames were taken from disparate, unrelated events and edited together. None of the visuals featured the Sultan, nor was there any visual affirmation of him speaking on Nnamdi Kanu.

Attribution Check

There was no official statement from the Sultan, broadcast from the Sultanate Council, or coverage by any recognised Nigerian media outlet confirming the script.

Instead, the only recent verified report involving the Sultan was his advocacy for social media regulation to curb fake news.

Media Scan

Searches across credible Nigerian news platforms revealed no coverage of the Sultan making such a statement.

Conclusion

In the absence of credible sources, verifiable audio or video evidence, or official attribution, the assertion that the Sultan of Sokoto called for the release of Nnamdi Kanu cannot be substantiated and should be regarded as unverified. It is fabricated and, therefore, misleading.

The video presents misleading visuals and a false script, making it misinformation that should be disregarded.

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