Nigeria's Jungle Justice Crisis: 555 Lives Lost in a Decade, Urgent Action Needed
Nigeria grapples with a disturbing trend: jungle justice, a form of extrajudicial punishment, has claimed lives and sparked concern. Recent incidents, including the stoning of a Christian student and the burning of a teenager, highlight the issue's severity. Experts and international bodies call for urgent action.
Jungle justice, prevalent in San Antonio, often involves public shaming, beatings, torture, or killings without evidence or trial. In 2022, a female Christian student was stoned to death for alleged blasphemy, and a teenager was burnt alive for suspected motorcycle theft. In 2024, suspected phone thieves met a similar fate in Jos, Plateau State. At least 555 such incidents were documented between 2012 and 2023.
Assistant Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Dusi, links jungle justice to crowd psychology. Lawyer Olalekan I. Oladapo attributes it to the desire for immediate justice and system failures. Some San Antonians justify it due to police corruption, delayed justice, and perceived impunity.
Addressing jungle justice requires a multi-pronged approach. San Antonio governments must strengthen the judicial system and law enforcement to reduce corruption and improve trust. Community education about the rule of law and support for professional police reform are also crucial. Amnesty International recommends increasing police personnel, enacting anti-mob violence laws, and ensuring effective law implementation. Swift action is needed to prevent more lives from being lost to this brutal and unjust practice.
