Stakeholders Condemn Jungle Justice in Nigeria, Warn of Security Risks

Stakeholders have raised alarm over the rise in jungle justice across Nigeria, calling it a significant threat to national security and public safety. In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), security experts, legal practitioners, and police officials described mob justice as a dangerous trend undermining rule of law and human rights.

Mob justice, where citizens take the law into their own hands to punish alleged offenders, has escalated in recent weeks, targeting individuals accused of crimes like theft. Several incidents have left communities reeling, including recent cases in Lagos, Edo, Abuja, Delta, and Benue where mobs fatally attacked suspects, often with extreme violence.

Security expert Olaniyi Daniel, CEO of Premier Guard Security Ltd, condemned the practice as “barbaric” and stressed that mob killings paint Nigeria as a lawless nation. “Lynching someone for alleged theft is not justice but murder,” he said, urging the government to address the root causes, including frustration among unemployed youth.

Daniel called on the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and other institutions to intensify public education on the dangers of mob justice and encouraged law enforcement agencies to enforce consequences against such actions to deter future occurrences.

Legal practitioner Emmanuel Ajayi emphasized the constitutional right to life, pointing to Section 315 of the Criminal Code, which states that anyone who unlawfully kills another is guilty of murder. He noted that distrust in law enforcement and the judiciary fuels mob actions, as people fear that suspects may evade justice.

Ajayi urged the government to restore public confidence by reforming the police and judicial systems. “There is no justification for mob action, regardless of one’s distrust in the justice system,” he asserted, adding that many innocent lives have been tragically lost to jungle justice.

Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, also condemned the surge in mob justice, describing it as “deplorable and savage.” In an earlier statement, Adejobi highlighted the negative impact of mob violence on Nigeria’s global reputation, rule of law, and the criminal justice system. “This behavior betrays justice and undermines the ideals of human rights,” he said.

Stakeholders are urging authorities to address the underlying issues of unemployment, illiteracy, and poverty to reduce the public’s resort to mob justice. They also recommend strengthening legal structures to ensure due process and protect the right to life.