Jungle Justice Has No Place In Nigeria – IGP Disu

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has issued a stern warning to Nigerians against resorting to jungle justice, stressing that anyone who takes the law into their own hands and causes the death of another person will be treated as a criminal and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

The IGP, while speaking during a recent interaction with journalists, made it clear that jungle justice is not an alternative to justice but a criminal act that can amount to murder. He warned that individuals or groups caught participating in the killing or torture of suspects under the guise of administering justice will face the full weight of the law.

Across Nigeria, there have been numerous instances where individuals suspected of committing crimes are apprehended by members of the public and subsequently subjected to mob action. In many cases, what begins as an attempt to punish a suspected offender quickly degenerates into brutal beatings, torture and, ultimately, death.

This disturbing practice has no place in a civilised society governed by the rule of law.

Nigeria is a nation with established laws and institutions responsible for investigating crimes, determining guilt and administering justice. Even when a suspect is caught red-handed, the responsibility of citizens is to apprehend the individual where possible and immediately hand him or her over to the Police or another authorised security agency.

The suspect must then be subjected to proper investigation and, where sufficient evidence exists, prosecuted before a competent court. Being suspected of a crime does not amount to being guilty of that crime.

The dangers of jungle justice are particularly troubling because of the possibility of mistaken identity, false accusations and mob hysteria. Once a crowd becomes emotionally charged, innocent people can easily become victims of circumstances they know nothing about.

The tragic Aluu 4 incident in Rivers State remains one of the most painful reminders of the consequences of mob justice. Four young men lost their lives after being wrongly accused and subjected to brutal mob action, leaving behind devastated families whose scars have endured for years.

There have also been recurring reports in parts of the country of suspected thieves being subjected to the horrifying practice of having tyres placed around their necks and being set ablaze. Such acts are not justice. They are barbaric, unlawful and criminal.

More recently, the reported case involving a vigilante group in Obollo Etiti, Enugu State, where a burglary and stealing suspect was allegedly apprehended and subjected to severe torture before losing his life, further underscores the urgent need to discourage this dangerous practice.

A vigilante group or any other community security outfit is not a court of law. Its responsibility, upon apprehending a suspected criminal, is to hand the individual over to the Police for investigation and prosecution, not to determine and execute punishment.

The IGP’s warning therefore serves as both a call to action and a reminder that there is no room for jungle justice in a society governed by law.

Nigerians, particularly community leaders, vigilante groups and youths, are urged to resist the temptation to take the law into their own hands. Anyone who witnesses a crime should alert the Police or the appropriate security agency and allow due process to take its course.

The Police remain committed to protecting lives and property, investigating criminal offences and ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice through lawful means.

Justice must be pursued through the law, not through mob violence.

Jungle justice is not justice. It is a crime. And anyone who takes a life under the guise of administering justice must be prepared to face the full consequences of the law.

Jungle justice is condemned in its entirety.