Abuja: In Nigeria, jungle justice, a form of extrajudicial punishment carried out by mobs or communities who take the law into their own hands, is quite prevalent. Amnesty International reports at least 555 documented jungle justice incidents between 2012 and 2023 in Nigeria and describes the violence as escalating in brutality and scope.

According to Global Voices, it typically involves public shaming, beatings, torture, or even killings—often based on suspicion of a crime, without evidence, arrest, or trial. In 2022, a teenager accused of stealing a motorcycle was burnt to death by a mob in Edo state, with videos of the mob action circulated on social media. The next day, a 22-year-old female Christian student was stoned to death by a mob of Muslim students after being accused of blasphemy against Islam. In 2024, suspected phone thieves in Jos, Plateau State, were pursued, captured, and set ablaze by an angry mob. These incidents reveal a troubling pattern of impunity and slow or absent justice, as most mob members are rarely identified or prosecuted.

While speaking in an X Space titled “Jungle Justice and Human Rights: Causes and Consequences in Nigeria,” Olalekan I. Oladapo, a lawyer, commented on the inadequacies within the system. He stated that the Constitution provides for a presumption of innocence until proven guilty, with the burden of proof lying on the prosecution. He emphasized that the problem does not largely lie in the judiciary but in the system, which is slow in administering justice.

Nigerias Assistant Inspector General of Police, Special Protection Unit, Olatunji Dusi, linked the persistence of jungle justice to crowd psychology. He noted that being in large groups gives people a sense of anonymity and collective decision-making power, which can lead to misbehavior and violence.

Oladapo identified poverty and ignorance as primary causes of jungle justice. He stressed the need for government action to secure the welfare of the people and empower law enforcement agencies to ensure an effective justice system. Fukky Danladi Mashat, a legal practitioner in Abuja, suggested that faster prosecution of criminal cases, grassroots education, accountability within law enforcement, and prioritizing swift and transparent justice can help curb the menace.

Nigerian media professional, Sola Jaiyesimi, highlighted the role of the media in naming and shaming perpetrators of mob violence and praised the judiciary for convicting a police officer involved in jungle justice.

Amnesty International recommended increasing the police force, enacting anti-mob violence laws, and ensuring their effective implementation. It also advised providing protection against violence in the name of religion to control and moderate human behavior for peaceful coexistence.

These recommendations aim to address the root causes of jungle justice, restore public trust, and reduce vigilante violence, ensuring true justice prevails.