Aloy Ejimakor, special counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, has rejected labeling the IPOB leader as a “terrorist,” arguing that such a designation cannot be justified simply because it was declared by the courts.
In a post on X, Ejimakor drew a parallel to historical figures, stating, “While commending Hon. Bello El-Rufai for condemning the cruel & unusual penalty slammed on MAZI NNAMDI KANU, let it be clear that #MNK is not a terrorist simply because the court labelled him as one. Mandela was also labelled a terrorist but he triumphed. MNK shall also triumph.”
This came after Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives, criticized the disparity in justice delivery in Nigeria.
Speaking during a plenary, El-Rufai questioned why Boko Haram member Hussaini Ismail received a 20-year sentence, while Nnamdi Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment.
“I don’t understand why one terrorist gets 20 years and the other gets life. There’s this idea that justice is served differently, and it affects the problem,” he said, warning that such inconsistencies could worsen Nigeria’s fragile security situation.
El-Rufai also emphasized the need for equal application of justice across regions and groups to build public trust in the judiciary. He backed President Tinubu’s new security plan but stressed the importance of execution with clear timelines.
Additionally, he called for an increase in salaries and welfare for security personnel, highlighting that Nigeria’s current police-to-citizen ratio—one officer for every 600 citizens—falls short of the UN-recommended 1 to 400 ratio.
He reiterated the importance of decentralizing police operations and involving traditional leaders in community policing, urging the National Assembly to prioritize constitutional reforms for state policing.