Jungle Justice Is Murder, Punishment Is Death – IGP Disu Orders Nationwide Crackdown on Mob Attacks
The Inspector-General of Police, Tunde Disu, has ordered a Nationwide crackdown on jungle justice and mob violence, warning Nigerians against taking the law into their own hands by assaulting or killing people suspected of committing crimes.
Disu said the Nigeria Police Force would henceforth treat cases of mob action and extrajudicial killings as homicide, stressing that anyone involved in such acts would be identified, investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The IGP issued the warning in a video message shared on social media, saying the directive had become necessary amid increasing incidents of extrajudicial killings and the circulation of disturbing videos showing alleged mob attacks in different parts of the country.
According to the Police Chief, the fact that a person is suspected of committing a crime does not give members of the public the authority to punish the individual without due process.
He warned that those who assault or summarily execute suspected criminals under the guise of mob action could face the same serious criminal consequences applicable to murder.
«“Anybody who assaults or summarily executes a suspected criminal in the name of mob action is guilty of murder. And the punishment for murder is death,” Disu stated.»
The IGP further cited relevant provisions of Nigerian criminal law, noting that Section 319 of the Criminal Code and Section 221 of the Penal Code prescribe the death penalty for murder in Nigeria.
Disu, however, made it clear that criminal responsibility would not be restricted to individuals who physically attack or kill the victim.
He warned that people who organise, encourage, facilitate or otherwise participate in mob attacks could also face prosecution for conspiracy.
The Police Chief specifically included individuals who record and circulate videos or photographs of mob attacks, those who mobilise crowds against suspected criminals and persons who prevent the Police from intervening.
«“Those who video the event and circulate them, those who take pictures and circulate them, and those who mobilise the crowd, or those who block the Police from intervening, all of them are liable.»
«“They are guilty of conspiracy to commit murder. And the punishment for that is 14 years imprisonment,” he said.»
Disu’s warning comes against the backdrop of persistent concerns over jungle justice in Nigeria, where suspects accused of crimes have sometimes been beaten, burnt or killed by members of the public before law-enforcement agencies can investigate the allegations.
The IGP maintained that such actions undermine the criminal justice system and amount to a dangerous substitution of mob rule for due process.
He consequently directed all Commissioners of Police across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to adopt a more aggressive approach in dealing with cases involving mob violence.
According to him, Police authorities have been instructed to treat every reported case of mob action as a homicide matter and conduct comprehensive investigations to establish the identities and roles of everyone involved.
«“I have directed all the Commissioners of Police in the 36 states of the federation, including the FCT, to treat every case of mob action as homicide.»
«“And to carry out full-scale investigations using all the forensic tools and intelligence tools available to the police,” Disu said.»
He added that the police would deploy forensic evidence, intelligence gathering and other investigative resources to identify perpetrators, including those who may have attempted to conceal their involvement.
The IGP stressed that the Police would not spare anyone found to have participated in mob attacks, regardless of the person’s role in the incident.
«“We are not going to spare anybody who is involved in mob action. We will do a thorough investigation, and we will take them to court.»
«“We will prosecute them, and we will make sure that justice is done. There’s no exception to this,” he declared.»
The directive effectively places organisers, instigators, participants and alleged enablers of mob violence under heightened police scrutiny, as the Force moves to curb the growing practice of jungle justice.
Global Mirror News gathered that the Police warning is also a reminder that Nigerians who witness criminal activity are expected to alert security agencies rather than resort to physical punishment or summary execution.
The IGP urged members of the public to allow suspected offenders to be arrested and subjected to investigation and trial, insisting that the responsibility for determining guilt and punishment belongs to the established justice system.
The Nigeria Police Force’s position is that no allegation, however serious, automatically makes a suspect guilty, and members of the public cannot lawfully impose punishment simply because they believe an individual has committed an offence.
The latest directive therefore signals a tougher enforcement posture against jungle justice, with police commands nationwide expected to investigate mob-related deaths and attacks thoroughly and bring those responsible before the courts.
