‘I Don’t Understand’ — El-Rufai’s Son Criticizes 20-Year Sentence for Boko Haram Suspect vs Life for Nnamdi Kanu

Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives who represents Kaduna State’s Kaduna North federal seat, has questioned the punishment of terrorists who have been found guilty in Nigeria.

He claims that the inconsistent punishment of offenders indicates a lack of openness in the legal system.

Speaking during a debate at the House plenary on Thursday, Bello compared the life sentence given to Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to the recent conviction of Ansaru terrorist group member Husseini Ismail, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

“A terrorist from Boko Haram was recently convicted; I think his name is Husseini Ismail,” he stated. A high court found him guilty and sentenced him to 20 years. He was a terrorist for Boko Haram. I believe Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was found guilty last week and given a life sentence.

Why one terrorist is receiving a 20-year term while another is receiving a life sentence is beyond me. I believe Pastor—referring to a colleague legislator—made a valid point when he said that justice is administered differently, which has an impact on the issue.

The congressman asked the National Assembly to make sure that the executive branch followed through with precise deadlines and quantifiable execution plans, even as he praised President Bola Tinubu for announcing a thorough revamp of national security.

“We applaud the president’s well-defined approach. I agree with what many of my colleagues have said about this. However, our issue is not with creating plans, but rather with carrying them out according to precise deadlines.

He emphasized, “This parliament must insist upon those timelines based on the president’s recommendations.”

Bello, the son of Nasir El-Rufai, the immediate former governor of Kaduna State, emphasized the critical need to raise security personnel’s wages and welfare, pointing out that Nigeria was woefully understaffed by international standards.

Six hundred Nigerians are under the supervision of one police officer. A ratio of 1 to 400 is suggested by the UN. In terms of a temporary fix, the president has addressed the issue of our understaffing.

“But we need to find the money to raise the basic salaries and welfare of police officers and soldiers immediately,” he continued.