The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has directed police commissioners across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to treat every case of mob action as homicide.
The IGP issued the directive while warning Nigerians against jungle justice, stressing that no individual, community, vigilante group or association has the legal authority to arrest, try, convict or execute anyone based on suspicion, allegations, rumours or information shared on social media.
In a video shared on the Nigeria Police Force’s X account, Disu described jungle justice as murder and said such acts violate the rights of suspects under the Nigerian Constitution.
He noted that Sections 33, 34 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, guarantee every person the right to life, dignity and fair hearing, including individuals suspected of committing crimes.
According to the IGP, allegations, photographs, videos or suspicions cannot replace proper police investigation and judicial proceedings. He stressed that every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
Disu further warned that anyone who kills a suspected criminal through mob action could face murder or manslaughter charges, depending on the circumstances.
He also said individuals who plan, incite or encourage mob violence could be held criminally responsible, even if they did not physically attack the victim.
The police chief cited the March 2025 killing of 16 travellers in Uromi, Edo State, as an example of the devastating consequences of mob justice. He noted that similar incidents have led to the deaths of people over unverified allegations, including accusations of theft, blasphemy and ritual activities.
“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.
He added that investigations would involve forensic and intelligence follow-up, with police targeting not only alleged ringleaders but everyone identified as having participated in the violence.
The IGP reiterated that Nigeria operates under the rule of law and urged citizens to report suspected criminals to the appropriate authorities rather than taking the law into their own hands.