IGP Orders Nationwide Crackdown On Jungle Justice, Mob Action

Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has directed police commissioners across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, to launch a nationwide crackdown on jungle justice and treat every case of mob action as homicide.

Disu gave the directive in a video shared on the Nigeria Police Force’s X handle, warning that no community, vigilante group or association has the legal authority to arrest, try, convict or execute anyone based on suspicion, allegations, rumours or evidence circulated on social media.

He said jungle justice was a criminal act and had no place in a society governed by the rule of law.

“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. No citizen, no community, no group has the right to try, sentence or execute another person,” Disu said.

The IGP said Sections 33, 34 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, guarantee every Nigerian, including suspects, the rights to life, dignity and fair hearing.

“Sections 33, 34 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, have guarantees for every Nigerian, even a suspect, the right to life, dignity and fair hearing. Mob action violates the victim’s right to life, to dignity and to a fair hearing.”

According to him, every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court, stressing that suspicion, allegations, photographs and videos cannot replace proper investigation and judicial proceedings.

He warned that anyone who kills a suspected criminal could face murder charges and severe punishment under Nigerian law.

“The punishment is severe, and it will be enforced. Anybody who assaults or summarily executes a suspected criminal is guilty of murder, which is punishable by death,” he said.

“Section 319 of the Criminal Code and section 221 of the Penal Code are very clear about this. Any person who unlawfully kills another person is guilty of murder or manslaughter, depending on the circumstances.

“Anybody who plans, incites or encourages the mob by giving them support, even without laying a hand on the victim, is criminally liable.

“Those who merely share, who support the acts, can be charged with conspiracy or will be charged with conspiracy to murder, and this carries 14 years’ imprisonment.”

Disu cited the March 2025 killing of 16 travellers in Uromi, Edo State, as an example of the devastating consequences of mob justice.

He said people had been killed in similar circumstances over unverified allegations, including students accused of stealing phones, travellers mistaken for criminals and young people attacked over allegations of blasphemy or ritual activities.

The IGP said the police would pursue all those involved in mob attacks, not only those who directly killed or assaulted victims.

“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.

“Full forensic and intelligence follow-up, no exception. We will identify, listen, arrest and prosecute not just the ringleaders but everybody available, everybody we can identify who took part in it.”

He said investigators would rely on video recordings, eyewitness accounts, community intelligence and forensic evidence to identify perpetrators.

Disu also warned that people who record mob attacks, circulate footage, mobilise crowds or prevent security personnel from rescuing suspects could face criminal consequences where their actions amount to offences.

He added that police officers could also be held accountable for failing to intervene when mob action occurs.

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