Jungle Justice in Nigeria, A Grim Reflection of Lawlessness
A Nation Torn Between Fear and Justice
In
streets and market squares across Nigeria, mobs rise with vengeance, acting as
judge, jury, and executioner for alleged crimes, often petty theft, suspicion
of internet fraud, or unfounded ritual accusations. The term “jungle justice”
barely contains the horror. These acts reflect not only lawlessness but a
deeper fracture in trust, empathy, and national cohesion. The Punch Editorial Board recently sounded alarm bells,
labeling this scourge as barbarism.
The article confronts the harrowing reality of jungle justice, mob-led violence against suspected criminals, in Nigeria. It opens with a shocking account of a man brutally attacked near a Lagos police station for allegedly stealing groundnut oil. Instead of being handed over to authorities, he was tortured and abandoned, exemplifying how mob violence has supplanted due process.