Convicting Nnamdi Kanu while Sheikh Gumi walks freely, clear case of selective justice – Nigerian lawyer

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.