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The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has intensified the debate over Nigeria’s handling of terrorism by rejecting the life imprisonment imposed on two convicted terrorists and calling instead for the death penalty for anyone found guilty of terrorism after due judicial process.
The Islamic advocacy group argued that life sentences are inadequate for crimes that have claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions and left deep scars across the country.
It warned that keeping convicted terrorists alive in prison could embolden their networks, expose correctional facilities to jailbreak attempts and undermine efforts to deter future acts of terrorism.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, described the sentences handed to the two convicts as dangerously lenient and urged the Federal Government to review its legal and policy framework on terrorism, insisting that capital punishment remains the most appropriate sanction for those convicted of carrying out terrorist attacks.
The call for the Federal Government to discontinue its rehabilitation and reintegration programme for surrendered terrorists has grown louder across Nigeria in recent years, with many insisting that those responsible for acts of terrorism should face the full weight of the law rather than be treated as “repentant terrorists.”
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), victims’ groups, security analysts and many other Nigerians have repeatedly questioned the policy, arguing that it undermines justice for victims and sends the wrong signal in the fight against insurgency.
The controversy was further heightened when the Chief of Defence Staff described surrendered insurgents as “prodigal sons,” while some other senior government officials referred to them as “our brothers” in defending the government’s deradicalisation and reintegration programme.
The remarks generated widespread criticism, with many Nigerians expressing discomfort over what they perceived as attempts to portray hardened terrorists in a sympathetic light despite the devastation, loss of lives and displacement caused by years of insurgency.
Several senior lawyers have also questioned the legality of granting amnesty or rehabilitation to alleged terrorists who have neither been tried nor convicted by a competent court, arguing that pardon or amnesty ordinarily presupposes a conviction under the law.
Others have criticised the slow pace of terrorism trials and advocated the establishment of special courts to accelerate the prosecution of terrorism-related cases.
Against this backdrop, MURIC’s call for capital punishment for terrorists convicted after due judicial process is likely to add momentum to the ongoing national debate, particularly among those who believe the immense sorrow, bloodshed and destruction wrought by terrorist groups over the years warrant the maximum punishment permitted by law.
The group was reacting to the conviction of Abubakar Abba, popularly known as Abu Baraa, and Mahmud Usman, also known as Mahmuda, who were sentenced to life imprisonment by Justice Emeka Nwite on Monday, July 20, 2026, after being found guilty of terrorism-related offences.
Rejecting the court’s decision, MURIC said, “We reject this judgment for being too lenient, too dangerous and too disproportionate. These are hardened and merciless criminals who should be eliminated with the speed of light. A good surgeon will not hesitate to amputate a rotten limb from the anatomy. We think that terrorists who execute their captives, traumatize families as well as whole nations, and subject their victims to inhuman treatments deserve capital punishment.
“It is dangerous to keep terrorists in prison custody temporarily or ad infinitum because of their deadly networks which they use to organize jailbreaks. They are no longer human beings. It is dangerous to keep them with other inmates if we don’t want them to convert ordinary prisoners into terrorists like them.”
The organisation also pointed to the recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire, Oyo State, claiming the kidnappers demanded the release of the two convicted terrorists as a condition for freeing their captives. MURIC said the incident underscored the influence terrorist networks still wield and highlighted the security risks of allowing convicted terrorists to remain alive in custody.
According to MURIC: “That should have sent a red alert to the authorities that terrorists are taking advantage of the democratic environment to abuse our values. Those who rob others of the dividends of democracy do not deserve to enjoy the same. Terrorists have no right to claim fundamental human rights.
“We, therefore, demand the death penalty for any terrorist found guilty of active participation in terror attacks.
“In view of several audacious attacks on prison facilities and the tendency of terrorists to plan attacks from prison, we also demand that terrorists sentenced to death must be executed within seven days of the judgment. The federal government should put all necessary legal niceties in place to ensure that due process is followed in this regard.”
MURIC’s intervention is expected to further fuel the long-running national conversation over whether Nigeria’s response to terrorism should place greater emphasis on rehabilitation or retribution.
As the country continues to grapple with insurgency and its devastating human and economic toll, the debate over justice for victims, deterrence for offenders and the appropriate punishment for convicted terrorists is unlikely to abate anytime soon.
