Police Arrest 3 Over Alleged Mob Killing of UNIJOS Student
The Plateau State Police Command has arrested three suspects over the alleged mob killing of a 25-year-old student of the University of Jos (UNIJOS), Ibrahim Mbaya, who was accused of stealing a mobile phone.
The command, in a statement issued on Monday, said the incident occurred on July 26, 2026, after officers at the Lamingo Police Division received a report from a Good Samaritan at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) that some youths had brought an unconscious man to the hospital under suspicious circumstances.
Police said responding officers identified the victim as Ibrahim Mbaya of Rayfield, Jos, who was confirmed dead on arrival by the doctor on duty. His body was deposited at the hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
Following preliminary investigations, three suspects were arrested and identified as Rinji Daniel Fwanji, 25, Emmanuel Newyear, 30, and Nensemka Fwanji, 22.
According to the police, Emmanuel Newyear was allegedly captured in a viral video assaulting the victim with a large wooden plank. Investigators also said photographs obtained during the investigation linked him to the incident.
The police said the suspects admitted that the deceased was accused of stealing an iPhone but, instead of reporting the matter to security agencies, allegedly assaulted him until he became unconscious.
The suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Jos for further investigation, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other persons believed to have participated in the attack.
Condemning the incident, the command described jungle justice as unlawful and warned that no individual or group has the right to assault or kill anyone on mere suspicion of committing an offence.
It urged members of the public to report suspected criminal activities to the police and allow the criminal justice system to take its course, stressing that every suspect is entitled to due process under the law.
Meanwhile, reports circulating on social media alleged that Mbaya, who was also described as a model, had spent the night at a friend’s off-campus residence in the Ring Road area of Jos before he was accused of stealing an iPhone.
The reports further claimed he was subjected to prolonged torture before being rushed to the hospital. However, the police said those specific claims have not been officially confirmed and remain part of the ongoing investigation.
The incident has triggered widespread condemnation on social media, with many Nigerians calling for justice and the prosecution of all those found culpable.
