Sir: Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to life, dignity and fair hearing. Yet these constitutional protections disappear the moment an angry crowd decides that suspicion is enough to justify execution. Increasingly, allegations, often unverified and amplified by rumours, are treated as proof, while mobs assume the roles of investigator, judge and executioner. The result is not justice but murder.
The latest reminder came on March 30, 2025, in Kaduna State, where an Islamic teacher and mother of four was lynched and burnt alive after she was falsely accused of attempting to kidnap children. Reports indicated that she had merely stopped to ask for direction to a lecture venue. Police officers initially rescued her and took her into protective custody, but an enraged mob later overpowered security personnel, dragged her from the station and set her ablaze. Whether the allegation was true became irrelevant the moment the crowd chose vengeance over due process.
Sadly, Kaduna is only one episode in a disturbing national pattern. In August 2025, a food vendor identified as Amaye was killed in Niger State after blasphemy allegations, despite police efforts to protect her. Around the same period in Ilorin, Kwara State, a mentally challenged woman was beaten to death after being falsely accused of attempting to kidnap a child before authorities could verify the claim. Three years earlier, on May 12, 2022, Deborah Samuel, a student of Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, was stoned, lynched and burnt over allegations of blasphemy. These tragedies, though occurring under different circumstances, reveal a common reality: rumours are increasingly replacing evidence, and crowds are usurping the authority of the courts.
Nigeria’s worsening insecurity has contributed to this dangerous trend. The rise in kidnappings, ritual killings, banditry and child trafficking has heightened public anxiety, making communities more susceptible to misinformation. Today, a single cry of ‘thief,’ ‘kidnapper’ or ‘blasphemer’ can trigger instant violence before anyone pauses to establish the facts. Social media platforms and instant messaging applications have further accelerated the spread of false information, allowing panic to travel faster than truth.
While mob justice affects both men and women, the repeated attacks on women accused of child theft expose an important gender dimension. Across many Nigerian communities, women are traditionally viewed as caregivers and protectors of children. Ironically, this expectation often fuels greater outrage when women are accused of harming children, making such allegations particularly inflammatory. Women are also generally less able to defend themselves physically against violent crowds, increasing their vulnerability once mob violence begins.
Gender stereotypes further compound the danger. Across several communities, women have historically been subjected to accusations of witchcraft, ritual practices and child trafficking with little or no credible evidence. Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and the CLEEN Foundation, have repeatedly warned that misinformation, weak law enforcement and harmful gender stereotypes combine to expose women to disproportionate violence. The Kaduna, Niger and Kwara incidents demonstrate how these biases can transform suspicion into a death sentence.
Equally disturbing is what these cases reveal about the weakening authority of state institutions. In both Kaduna and Niger, victims had reportedly been taken into police custody before angry mobs overwhelmed security personnel. If suspects cannot be protected even inside police facilities, public confidence in the criminal justice system will continue to deteriorate.
This reality contradicts both the Constitution and Nigeria’s criminal justice framework. Section 33 guarantees the right to life, while Section 36 guarantees every accused person fair hearing before an impartial court. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act provides clear procedures for investigation and prosecution. Nowhere does Nigerian law authorise citizens to determine guilt through rumours or impose punishment through mob violence.
The persistence of jungle justice is also sustained by impunity. Hundreds may participate in a lynching, yet only a handful are arrested and even fewer prosecuted. Those who incite violence, throw stones, pour petrol or record killings on their phones often disappear into the crowd without consequence. Every failure to prosecute sends a dangerous message that mob justice is an acceptable alternative to lawful prosecution.
Breaking this cycle requires more than official condemnations after each tragedy. Security agencies must strengthen rapid-response mechanisms capable of dispersing violent crowds before attacks escalate. Governments should invest in sustained public enlightenment campaigns against misinformation and educate citizens on the importance of due process. Religious leaders, traditional rulers, schools, community associations and the media must also help rebuild respect for the rule of law. Above all, those responsible for organising or participating in lynchings must face swift prosecution, regardless of status.