A lawyer and political analyst, Malcolm Emokiniovo Omirhobo, has said the life sentence on the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has exposed the disturbing reality of Nigeria’s two-tiered justice system that punishes some citizens with ruthless efficiency while shielding others who commit equal or worse offences in full public view.
Omirhobo stated that Nnamdi Kanu has been arrested, detained, tried, and now convicted, but Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, who openly fraternises with armed bandit groups, negotiates with terrorists, defends their actions, issues inflammatory public statements, and positions himself as their public relations officer, continues to walk freely without police invitation.
He noted that this contradiction is not just morally indefensible; it is unconstitutional, citing Sections 17, 36, and 42 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantee equality before the law, equal protection for all citizens, and freedom from discrimination in law enforcement.
In a statement he personally signed, Omirhobo declared that yet, in today’s Nigeria, one man is prosecuted for speech, while another who routinely engages with terrorists is celebrated as a “mediator.”
Part of the statement read: “This is not rule of law. This is rule by selective discretion.
Nnamdi Kanu: accused of making inflammatory broadcasts;
Charged, tried, and convicted; arrested through extraordinary rendition; denied consistent access to justice for years.
“Sheikh Ahmad Gumi: Enters terrorist camps freely;
Meets armed criminals responsible for mass killings and kidnappings;
Publicly defends them; undermines national security repeatedly.
ZERO arrest. ZERO prosecution. ZERO accountability.
“If broadcasts amount to terrorism, then direct contact, negotiation, and advocacy for armed groups constitute far more grievous offences. Nigeria cannot claim to be fighting terrorism while pampering individuals who openly engage with terrorists.
“Justice must not only be done; it must be seen to be done. In this case, it is clearly not seen.
“I call on the Federal Government, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Police Force to apply the same standards of law to all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, religion, region, or political agenda.
“Investigate Sheikh Ahmad Gumi for his open engagement with terror groups. End the culture of selective prosecution that has become the hallmark of governance. Restore public confidence in the justice system by demonstrating fairness and impartiality.
“A nation cannot claim to be fighting insecurity while protecting those who fraternise with the authors of national sorrow. The conviction of Nnamdi Kanu while Sheikh Gumi remains untouched is a glaring example of double standards.
“Until the Nigerian state demonstrates that the law is blind to religion and ethnicity, its fight against insecurity will remain compromised. Justice must be equal. Justice must be uniform.
Justice must be blind. Anything less is injustice.”
