Kanu Jailed, Bandits Free: Nigeria faces fresh accusations of selective justice
By Ladidi Sabo
Nigeria’s long-running debate over selective justice and uneven law enforcement has resurfaced after a senior opposition figure questioned why the federal government has relentlessly pursued separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu while some of the country’s most notorious bandit kingpins remain at large.
The Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kano State, Alhaji Musa Ungoggo, accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government of applying the law based on political and regional calculations rather than national security priorities.
Speaking to party members and supporters, Ungoggo contrasted the speed and determination with which authorities arrested, extradited, prosecuted and detained the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) with what he described as a striking lack of urgency in dealing with Bello Turji, a feared bandit leader linked to mass killings, kidnappings and large-scale displacement in Nigeria’s North-West.
“They arrested Nnamdi Kanu abroad, extradited him to Nigeria, prosecuted him, and today he remains in detention,” Ungoggo said. “That case alone shows that when the Federal Government wants to act, it can deploy its intelligence, security and legal machinery with precision and speed.”
Kanu, who has consistently framed his activism as resistance to the political and economic marginalisation of southeastern Nigeria, was arrested in 2021 and has remained in custody amid prolonged legal battles and international criticism over his detention.
Ungoggo argued that the same resolve has not been applied to Turji, who is believed to operate primarily in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State and has been repeatedly linked by security reports and survivors’ accounts to attacks on rural communities.
“Despite countless reports of killings, abductions and destruction, Bello Turji has not been arrested or brought before a court of law,” he said. “He is still roaming freely, while innocent Nigerians continue to pay the price.”
The ADC chairman warned that the disparity sends a dangerous message—that the state is swift against political dissent but hesitant or compromised when confronting violent criminal networks.
His remarks come amid mounting concern over insecurity in the North-West, particularly in Zamfara, Katsina and parts of Kaduna, where armed groups have been accused of collecting levies, enforcing parallel authority and terrorising entire communities with little resistance.
Adding to the controversy are persistent reports, yet to be officially denied, that Katsina State has earmarked ₦300 million in its proposed 2026 budget for payments linked to negotiations with suspected bandits, a strategy critics argue amounts to rewarding mass violence while victims remain unprotected.
For Ungoggo and other critics, the contrast is stark: a separatist leader who spoke out about marginalisation is pursued across borders and held in detention, while heavily armed bandit leaders accused of bloodshed and mass terror continue to evade arrest.
“This is not just painful,” Ungoggo said. “It is dangerous. It emboldens criminals and erodes public trust in the justice system.”
As Nigeria grapples with deepening insecurity and strained national cohesion, analysts warn that perceived double standards in law enforcement risk undermining both counterterrorism efforts and confidence in the rule of law, especially in regions where violence has become a daily reality.
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