General of Police Tunde Disu has ordered a nationwide crackdown on jungle justice, directing commissioners in all 36 states to treat mob killings as homicide.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Disu has ordered a nationwide crackdown on jungle justice and mob violence, directing police commissioners in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to treat every case of mob action as homicide.
The directive was delivered in a video message shared widely on social media, including the Nigeria Police Force’s official X account. Disu directed police commissioners in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to treat every case of mob violence as homicide.
“Jungle Justice Is Murder”
Disu said no Nigerian community, vigilante group or association had the legal authority to arrest, try, convict or execute a person based on suspicion, accusation, rumour or social media evidence.
“Jungle justice is murder. It is not justice. It is a crime, and the Nigeria Police Force will treat it as such. It is illegal. Nigeria operates under the rule of law, not mob rule,” he said.
He cited Sections 33, 34 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantee every Nigerian including suspects the right to life, dignity and fair hearing, arguing that mob action violates all three.
The IGP said suspicion, allegations, photographs or videos could never substitute for proper investigation and judicial proceedings, since the law presumes every person innocent until proven guilty in court.
Legal Consequences
Disu warned that anyone who assaults or summarily executes a suspected criminal is guilty of murder under Section 319 of the Criminal Code and Section 221 of the Penal Code, both of which prescribe the death penalty. He said criminal liability would extend well beyond those who physically attack a victim: anyone who plans, incites or supports a mob, even without directly assaulting the victim is criminally liable, while those who merely encourage or facilitate the act could be charged with conspiracy to murder, punishable by up to 14 years’ imprisonment under Section 516 of the Criminal Code.
The IGP said those who film mob attacks and circulate the footage, mobilise crowds, or obstruct police officers attempting to rescue a suspect could also face criminal consequences depending on their conduct. He added that police officers themselves could be held accountable for failing to intervene in mob action.
Directive to Commissioners
“I have directed all commissioners of police across the 36 states of Nigeria and the FCT to treat every case of mob action as homicide, and they should investigate it like that,” Disu said, promising “full forensic and intelligence follow-up, no exception,” with investigators pursuing not just ringleaders but everyone identifiable as having taken part. He said investigators would rely on video recordings, eyewitness accounts, community intelligence and forensic evidence to identify perpetrators.
Recent Cases Behind the Directive
Disu cited the March 2025 killing of 16 travellers in Uromi, Edo State, as a reminder of the consequences of mob justice, along with a broader pattern of killings over unverified allegations, including students accused of theft, travellers mistaken for criminals, and young people attacked over blasphemy or ritual-related accusations.
The directive also follows the death of 25-year-old Ibrahim Mbaya, a University of Jos graduate known as “Ibee,” who was allegedly assaulted and killed in Jos on July 26 after being accused of stealing an iPhone 12, a case that had generated significant public attention and circulating video footage in the weeks before Disu’s address.
