IGP Disu Declares Jungle Justice as Homicide in Nigeria

• IGP Disu has issued a stern warning against mob action, declaring that anyone involved will be prosecuted for murder.
• The punishment for murder is death, and those who plan or incite mob action can face up to 14 years imprisonment.
• Police commands nationwide will treat every case of mob action as homicide, carrying out full-scale investigations.
• The IGP's directive marks a significant shift in the approach to addressing extrajudicial killings in Nigeria.

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 Inspector General of Police, IGP Tunde Disu, has issued a stern warning against mob action, declaring that anyone involved in such incidents will be prosecuted for murder. This directive marks a significant shift in the approach to addressing extrajudicial killings in Nigeria. The IGP's message was conveyed through a viral video on social media, where he emphasized the need to treat mob killings with the same investigative weight as premeditated homicide cases. Disu specifically highlighted the sections of Nigerian law that will be used to prosecute those involved in mob action, including Sections 319 and 221, which deal with murder, and Section 516, which criminalizes conspiracy. The IGP's address came amid growing online footage of mob attacks across the country, which has led to widespread outrage and calls for swift legal action against perpetrators.

Under Nigerian law, anyone who assaults or kills a suspect outside the law will be prosecuted for murder. The punishment for murder is death, as prescribed by Sections 319 and 221 of the Criminal Code and Penal Code respectively. However, the IGP's directive extends liability beyond those who carry out the act, to include those who plan, incite, or encourage mob action. This means that anyone who films, circulates videos, mobilizes crowds, or obstructs police intervention can be held criminally liable for conspiracy to commit murder. The punishment for this offense is up to 14 years imprisonment.

The IGP's directive marks a significant turning point in the approach to addressing mob killings in Nigeria. With this new operational directive, police commands nationwide will treat every case of mob action as homicide, carrying out full-scale investigations using forensic tools and intelligence. The IGP has made it clear that there is no exception to this rule, and that anyone involved in mob action will be prosecuted and brought to justice. This shift in approach is expected to have a profound impact on the way mob killings are addressed in Nigeria, with human rights groups hailing the directive as a major step forward in combating extrajudicial killings.

Lawyers should note that the IGP's directive means that anyone involved in mob action, including those who film or circulate videos of such incidents, can be prosecuted for conspiracy to commit murder under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, carrying a punishment of up to 14 years imprisonment.

Source: Original reporting via Vanguard