A Lagos-based constitutional lawyer has sparked fresh debate over Nigeria’s justice system after criticising the life sentence handed to IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, insisting the decision exposes what he called a widening gulf of inequality before the law.
Chief Malcolm Emokiniovo Omirhobo, speaking through a strongly worded statement, argued that the country risks losing public faith in its legal institutions if similar cases continue to receive unequal treatment.
He insisted that the contrast between Kanu’s conviction and the freedom enjoyed by Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi raises troubling questions about consistency and fairness.
The lawyer’s remarks referenced Kanu’s prosecution over alleged incendiary broadcasts, which led to his recent conviction and life imprisonment by a Nigerian court.
However, he noted that Gumi has repeatedly moved in and out of bandit-held territories, met with armed groups, and made public comments defending those activities, yet remains untouched by law enforcement.
The two cases, he claimed, reveal a justice system that “does not weigh offences with the same scale.”
Omirhobo stressed that the alleged imbalance violates sections 17, 36, and 42 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantee equal treatment and prohibit discriminatory enforcement.
He described the current posture of the authorities as dangerous for a multi-ethnic society already grappling with insecurity.
In his words, “When one man is punished for speech while another walks free after mingling with gunmen, the law begins to look like a mirror that reflects different images depending on who stands before it.”
He urged the Federal Government, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Department of State Services, and the Nigeria Police Force to end what he called selective prosecution.
According to him, a credible review of Gumi’s engagements with armed groups is necessary if the government hopes to restore trust.
The senior lawyer added that a nation fighting for stability cannot afford to ignore actions that embolden violent actors.
“You cannot claim to battle insecurity while sparing those who maintain open channels with the engines of national grief,” he cautioned.
Omirhobo concluded by warning that justice loses legitimacy when its application appears to be influenced by religion, sentiment, or geography.
He said Nigeria must prove that the law “wears one face for all citizens,” otherwise accusations of bias will continue to overshadow critical legal decisions.
Stories like these echo across Nigeria’s turbulent political and security landscape, where public trust in institutions is often shaped by how evenly justice is seen to be served.