Legal practitioners have condemned the growing incidence of jungle justice in Nigeria, insisting that there is no justification for citizens to take the law into their own hands.
Jungle justice refers to the extrajudicial punishment of people suspected of committing crimes, often involving mob attacks, torture or killing without trial.
The lawyers called for stronger enforcement of existing laws and greater public trust in the justice system to curb the menace.
They urged Nigerians to allow law enforcement agencies and the courts to handle criminal allegations, noting that the country has laws that provide for the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of suspects.
Mr Cornelius Lamle, Managing Partner, SC Legal Partners, said killing a suspect through mob action amounted to murder and that participants could be held liable under the doctrine of common intention.
“Jungle justice has no place under Nigerian law. Every person, however strongly suspected of a crime, retains the constitutional right to life under Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution and the right to fair hearing under Section 36.
“Nobody has the power to try and execute a person on the spot,” he said.
Lamle called for the consistent prosecution of perpetrators and greater cooperation among Nigerians to eradicate the practice.
He urged the government and police to rebuild public confidence in the formal justice system while intensifying public enlightenment on the rights of suspects.
Lamle also advocated state-level laws specifically targeting mob action, with clear penalties and defined responsibilities for police officers to intervene and arrest perpetrators.
“The problem isn’t a lack of law; it’s poor enforcement. The Criminal Code, Penal Code and Administration of Criminal Justice Act already criminalize these acts,” he said.
He called for stronger police accountability and rapid-response mechanisms to ensure security personnel respond promptly whenever mob attacks are reported.
Lamle further recommended a dedicated federal Anti-Jungle Justice Act with mandatory sentencing, a witness protection framework and fast-tracked trials for mob-killing cases.
“Nothing emboldens a mob more than watching previous killers walk freely,” he said.
He stressed that every case of jungle justice reported to the police should be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted, arguing that impunity remains a major factor encouraging the recurrence of mob violence.
“Every jungle justice case that reaches the police should be pursued to prosecution and conviction. Impunity is the biggest driver of recurrence,” Lamle said.
He also advocated sustained public education, particularly in local languages, to enlighten communities on the illegality and consequences of jungle justice.
Similarly, Mr Moses Obeta, another lawyer, said Nigerian law did not recognize or permit the arbitrary punishment of suspected criminals.
“No matter how grave the alleged offense is, the only permissible avenue is through the judicial process where the suspect is found guilty.
“So jungle justice, as the name implies, is a violation of the right to life and the dignity of the victims,” Obeta said.
He called on the police and other security agencies to strengthen their investigative and prosecutorial processes, while warning against bribery and the release of suspects without proper investigation.
Obeta urged authorities to apply the law without fear or favor and ensure that perpetrators of jungle justice were investigated, arrested, prosecuted and appropriately punished.
For his part, Mr Simon Abel, a legal practitioner, urged the government to intensify public enlightenment and provide security agencies with effective mechanisms to prevent mob violence.
Abel said that perpetrators should be prosecuted and punished to deter others.
“It is the responsibility of the government to enlighten the public. Mechanisms should be put in place to enable the reporting of issues instantly.
“Average Nigerians learn from experience. When one or two are prosecuted for their actions, it serves as a deterrent.
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“But when we keep suppressing the issue, and the people involved are not punished or penalized for the act they perpetrated, then we can’t eradicate jungle justice,” he said.
The legal practitioners noted that reports of jungle justice across the country continued to highlight its devastating consequences, including loss of lives, destruction of families and lasting trauma for victims’ relatives.
They stressed that strengthening law enforcement, improving public confidence in the justice system and ensuring accountability remained critical to ending the practice.
