The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, alongside other participants at a town hall meeting on ending mob violence in communities across Nigeria, have identified accelerated public education and enlightenment as central to eradicating mob action and jungle justice.
The event, organized by Amnesty International Nigeria, brought together stakeholders from various sectors, including security agencies, market associations, the judiciary, and student bodies.
Participants also called for increased transparency within the judiciary to restore public trust and encourage citizens to seek justice through due process.
Themed “#JusticeNotJungle: Ending Mob Violence in Our Communities,” the town hall was the second in the series, following the first held in Edo State.
The initiative aims to gather public opinion on sustainable solutions to mob action in Nigeria and formally unveiled new research by Amnesty International Nigeria highlighting the rising incidence of mob violence.
The report, which covers 2012 to 2023, revealed a disturbing increase in mob actions across the country, often driven by a lack of trust in the judicial system, leading citizens to take the law into their own hands.
In his remarks, Mr. Lawal Pedro emphasized that jungle justice is illegal and must not be condoned under any circumstances.
He acknowledged challenges such as inadequate information about perpetrators and bureaucratic bottlenecks that prevent law enforcement from acting swiftly.
However, he maintained that education and enlightenment would significantly curb the menace, given that most perpetrators are either illiterate or ignorant of the implications of their actions.
“I commend Amnesty International Nigeria for championing this cause and the participants for sacrificing their time to be here. This issue affects us all,” Pedro stated.
“As Attorney-General, I uphold the fundamental right of people to assemble and share thoughts. There may be differences, but we must never resort to jungle justice. It is illegal, unlawful, and should be condemned outright. The answer lies in education and enlightenment.”
Providing an overview of the town hall objectives, Benedicta Ofili of Amnesty International emphasized that Nigeria’s commitment to several international human rights protocols makes it imperative to address the growing cases of mob violence.
Ofili noted that the problem cuts across every state in Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and follows a consistent pattern of citizens taking laws into their hands due to eroding trust in the justice system.
“During our engagements in Benin City, Edo State, it was alarming to hear people say mob justice brings justice. Someone even told us there is justice in mob violence. We say no: there is no justice in mob action.
“From 2012 to 2023, our research documented 555 cases of mob violence across the six geopolitical zones. We spoke with victims and their families, and it became clear there is a dire need to educate the public on the consequences of mob violence and the importance of due process,” Ofili said.
She added that many Nigerians lack an understanding of the prosecution process, leading to unrealistic expectations and frustration when justice seems delayed.
Barbara S. Magaji of Amnesty International highlighted the legal and human rights implications of mob violence, stressing that in many cases, innocent individuals fall victim when the law is not allowed to take its course.
“When mob violence occurs, innocent bystanders can be caught up. In one case, a girl’s cousin was chained alongside her. By the time they realized the mistake, both had already been tortured. Mob justice does not deter crime. Instead, it violates human rights, perpetuates violence, and endangers everyone — because today’s perpetrator could be tomorrow’s victim,” Magaji warned.
She further condemned the common practice of setting victims ablaze with tires, explaining that there is no evidence such brutality reduces crime, but it does destroy lives and undermines the rule of law.
The town hall also marked the beginning of a nationwide campaign against mob violence, with participants pledging to use their platforms to champion the cause.
Presenting the goals and recommendations of the #JusticeNotJungle campaign, Samson Abobarin of Amnesty International appealed to Nigerians to always follow due process when seeking justice and called for reforms to make the justice system more transparent, responsive, and trustworthy.
“In the past eleven years, there has been an alarming rise in mob violence. This year alone, there have been incidents across several states, including Abuja, where an alleged LGBT individual was a victim. Perpetrators often face little or no accountability, further eroding trust in the system,” Abobarin said.
“Communities are losing faith in the justice system and resorting to mob violence. That’s why we brought stakeholders together — security agencies, the judiciary, market associations, and others — to discuss how to rebuild trust and end mob justice.”
Other participants suggested that addressing mob violence requires government commitment to improving citizens’ welfare and ensuring the security of lives and property, emphasizing that it is the government’s primary responsibility.
They also cited factors such as drug abuse, ignorance, hunger, and the slow or ineffective response of security agencies as reasons people resort to mob violence, adding that economic hardship has heightened public anger, pushing some to vent their frustrations through violent means.
The event concluded with participants signing petitions and making public declarations against mob violence.
Representatives of civil society organizations, market leaders, law enforcement agencies, and the National Orientation Agency shared insights on steps they are taking within their jurisdictions to combat mob violence.
Reporting by Innocent Onoh