Jungle Justice Has No Place on Our Campuses

The arrest of three suspects by the Plateau State Police Command over the alleged mob killing of a 25-year-old man in Jos should serve as another painful reminder that jungle justice remains one of Nigeria’s most disturbing social problems.

According to the police, the deceased was accused of stealing an iPhone 12. Instead of handing him over to law enforcement authorities for investigation and possible prosecution, a mob allegedly subjected him to a brutal assault that eventually claimed his life. One of the suspects was reportedly seen in a viral video repeatedly hitting the victim with a large wooden plank.

Whether the allegation of theft was true or false has now become secondary. What is undeniable is that no citizen has the legal authority to investigate, prosecute, convict and execute another person.

Unfortunately, this pattern is not new. Nigerian universities and tertiary institutions have witnessed similar incidents over the years, raising serious concerns about student vigilantism and mob justice.

One of the most tragic examples remains the 2012 killing of four students of the University of Port Harcourt—popularly known as the “Aluu Four.” The students were falsely accused of theft, brutally tortured and lynched by a mob in Aluu community near the university. Graphic videos of the incident shocked the nation and attracted global condemnation. Investigations later revealed that the allegations against the students were unfounded, while several perpetrators were eventually convicted and sentenced.

Another incident occurred in 2017 at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, where a student was reportedly beaten by fellow students over allegations of theft before security officials intervened. Although the victim survived, the episode highlighted how quickly allegations can escalate into violence when institutional disciplinary processes are ignored.

There have also been reported cases across campuses, including at University of Benin and Federal University of Technology Akure, where suspected thieves were attacked by mobs before security personnel rescued them. While not all ended in fatalities, they exposed the dangerous tendency for students and community members to resort to instant justice.

These incidents point to a troubling culture in which suspicion alone is often treated as proof of guilt. Yet the Nigerian Constitution guarantees every person the right to life, fair hearing and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a competent court.

Universities, as centres of learning and character development, should be at the forefront of promoting the rule of law, critical thinking and respect for human rights. Campus authorities must strengthen security systems, encourage students to report suspected crimes to the appropriate authorities and ensure disciplinary procedures are transparent and effective.

Law enforcement agencies must also act swiftly whenever allegations of mob violence arise. Prompt investigations and successful prosecutions send a strong message that jungle justice is itself a serious criminal offence.

The Jos incident is more than another crime report. It is a call for Nigerians to reject the dangerous belief that violence is an acceptable substitute for justice. A society governed by mobs rather than the law places everyone at risk because today’s accuser could become tomorrow’s victim.

Justice is served in the courtroom—not in the streets, on campuses or in the hands of angry crowds. Only by upholding due process can Nigeria protect innocent lives while ensuring that those who commit crimes are held accountable under the law.