El-Rufai’s son raises eyebrows over disparities in sentences of Nnamdi Kanu and Boko Haram convict (Video)

Member of the House of Representatives representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency of Kaduna State, Bello El-Rufai, has questioned the inconsistency in the sentencing of convicted terrorists in Nigeria, calling for a more transparent and uniform justice system.

Speaking during a debate at the House plenary on Thursday, Bello cited the recent conviction of an Ansaru terrorist group member identified as Husseini Ismail, who was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Abuja, and the life sentence handed to the leader of the outlawed IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, last week.

“There was a conviction recently of a terrorist, Boko Haram, I believe his name is Husseini Ismail. He was convicted for 20 years by a high court. He was a Boko Haram terrorist. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was convicted, I think last week, and his own conviction was a life sentence,” Bello said.

“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,” El-Rufai said, echoing concerns earlier raised by another lawmaker.

The Kaduna lawmaker warned that inconsistencies in justice delivery risk worsening Nigeria’s fragile security climate

He argued that disparity in punishment feeds public perception that the judicial system treats groups and regions differently, an issue he said must be urgently addressed if the government hopes to win public trust in its fight against insecurity.

A Federal High Court in Abuja jailed Ismaila for 20 years on November 19 after he pleaded guilty and showed remorse.

The court ordered his sentences to run concurrently, giving him a maximum of 20 years.

Watch videohttps://x.com/ChuksEricE/status/1994119629862826242?s=20