The Inspector-General of Police, Tunde Disu, has ordered a nationwide crackdown on jungle justice, warning that anyone involved in the assault or killing of suspects through mob action will be prosecuted for murder.

Disu, in a viral video, said mob justice could no longer be excused as community action, stressing that those who take the law into their own hands risk severe punishment under Nigerian law.

“Anybody who assaults or summarily executes a suspected criminal in the name of mob action is guilty of murder. And the punishment for murder is death,” the IGP said.

He also warned that anyone who incites, organises or records mob attacks, circulates footage of such incidents, or obstructs police intervention could face charges of conspiracy to commit murder, which carries a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

The police chief disclosed that he had directed Commissioners of Police across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to treat all cases of mob action as homicide and conduct thorough investigations using forensic and intelligence resources.

“We are not going to spare anybody who is involved in mob action. We will do a thorough investigation, and we will take them to court,” Disu said.

The directive comes amid growing concerns over extrajudicial killings, including the recent death of 25-year-old University of Jos graduate, Ibrahim Mbaya, who was allegedly beaten to death after being accused of stealing an iPhone 12.

The Nigeria Police Force urged Nigerians to report suspected criminals to law enforcement authorities rather than resorting to violence, stressing that jungle justice is itself a serious criminal offence.