Shocking Jungle Justice Cases in Nigeria - See the innocent victims

According to Change in Africa (2021), at least one person is tortured or killed every day by enraged mobs who take the law into their own hands.

The report highlights that Cameroon and Nigeria record the highest number of jungle justice killings on the continent. Criminologist Hauwa Yusuf of Kaduna State University stresses that most jungle justice victims in Nigeria are later discovered to be innocent of the crimes they were accused of.

What is Jungle Justice?

Jungle justice, also called mob justice, refers to the extrajudicial punishment of suspected offenders by a crowd without any legal process. It often involves brutal beatings, lynching, stoning, or burning, carried out under the belief that the formal justice system is either too slow or corrupt to deliver justice.

While many perpetrators of jungle justice believe they are dispensing justice, the reality is that mob actions bypass due process and often target the innocent. Year in, year out, the menace of jungle justice remains a troubling human rights issue across Africa, especially in Nigeria, a country grappling with high unemployment, social frustration, and a weak justice system.

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Just yesterday, August 27th, at Balogun Market in Lagos, another jungle justice incident occurred. The altercation occurred at the Mandilas section of the market and involved Ebuka Adindu and Sodiq Ibrahim. Eyewitnesses report that the quarrel over money escalated quickly, and Ebuka allegedly stabbed Ibrahim to death.

An enraged mob descended on Ebuka, and he was almost lynched to death, but for the intervention of the police, who rescued him.

Legal Implications Of Jungle Justice

Under Nigerian law, jungle justice is a criminal act. The Nigerian Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to life (Section 33) and fair hearing (Section 36). By engaging in mob lynching, participants commit murder, assault, and destruction of property, offences punishable by death or long prison sentences.

Moreover, jungle justice undermines the rule of law, fosters fear, and erodes public confidence in the legal system. Instead of deterring crime, it breeds more violence and lawlessness.

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Notable Jungle Justice Cases in Nigeria

Over the years, Nigeria has witnessed numerous disturbing incidents of jungle justice. Some of the most notable include:

1. The Aluu 4 (Rivers State, 2012)

This is perhaps the most infamous case of jungle justice in Nigeria. Four students of the University of Port Harcourt, identified as Ugonna Obuzor, Toku Lloyd, Chiadika Biringa, and Tekena Elkanah. They were falsely accused of theft and lynched by villagers in the Aluu community. They were beaten, stripped, and burned alive. The brutality sparked national outrage and protests.

2. Deborah Samuel (Sokoto, 2022)

Deborah, a student at Shehu Shagari College of Education, was accused of blasphemy in a class WhatsApp group. A mob of fellow students dragged her out, stoned her, and set her body ablaze. The case reignited debates about religion, justice, and mob violence in Nigeria.

3. David Imoh (Lagos, 2022)

A sound engineer, David Imoh, was beaten and burnt to death by commercial motorcyclists in Lekki after a misunderstanding over payment. Despite attempts by friends to rescue him, the mob overpowered them.

4. Tope Olorunfemi (Akure, 2023)

A 35-year-old man was stoned to death by a mob after he crushed two people to death and injured four others in an accident. He was accused of being a ritualist, dragged out of his car and lynched to death. Later reports suggested there was no evidence linking him to rituals.

5. Martina Okey Itagbor (Cross River, 2023)

Martina Okey Itagbor was accused of causing the death of two young men who died in a motor accident. She was accused of witchcraft, which was alleged to be the cause of the accident. A mob gathered around Mrs Okey and interrogated her. They then collected stones and other harmful objects and tortured her before burning her alive by the roadside.

6. Uromi Jungle Justice (Edo State, 2025)

Nineteen hunters who were reportedly travelling from Port Harcourt to Kano for the end of Ramadan festivities were intercepted and burnt to death in Uromi, Edo state, by local vigilantes after being suspected as kidnappers.

Why Does Jungle Justice Persist?

• Distrust in law enforcement: Many citizens believe the police and courts are corrupt or too slow.

• High unemployment & frustration: Economic hardship drives anger that easily erupts into mob action.

• Cultural & religious beliefs: Accusations of witchcraft or blasphemy often trigger mob violence.

• Breakdown of community values: A lack of social cohesion makes people more likely to resort to violence.

The Mandilas incident is just the latest in a long line of jungle justice cases in Nigeria. Mob justice continues to claim innocent lives and erode trust in the justice system. Unless Nigeria strengthens its justice system, improves law enforcement, and sensitises the public against mob action, jungle justice will remain a recurring tragedy.

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