Plateau Police: Arrest Female Students for Assault Video, Cybercrime Charges

• Plateau State Police have arrested female students from the Federal University of Education in Pankshin over a viral video depicting an alleged assault.
• The Commissioner of Police ordered immediate investigation and arrests after the video surfaced, leading to swift action by the Area Commander.
• Police spokesman SP Alfred Alabo condemned 'jungle justice' and warned that recording and uploading violent acts on social media can incur additional cybercrime charges.
• The arrested students will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department and subsequently charged in court.
• Authorities urged the public to report grievances to appropriate agencies rather than resorting to violence or self-help.

This development underscores the expanded scope of criminal liability in Nigeria, where recording and uploading violent acts can now lead to cybercrime charges in addition to charges for the underlying assault.

The Plateau State Police Command has confirmed the apprehension of several female students following the circulation of a video depicting an alleged assault. The incident, which reportedly shows the students attacking another female, occurred within the Pankshin Local Government Area of the state. This development was announced by the command's spokesman, SP Alfred Alabo, in a statement issued on Friday from Jos.

Upon learning of the viral footage, the Commissioner of Police, Ayodeji Faniyan, promptly instructed the Area Commander in Pankshin to initiate an immediate investigation and secure the arrest of all individuals involved. This directive led to the swift apprehension of the students implicated in the video. The arrested individuals are students of the Federal University of Education in Pankshin, a detail reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Following preliminary investigations, the detained students are slated for transfer to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID). Subsequently, they will face charges in court once the investigative process is concluded. This decisive action by the Plateau police underscores a firm stance against acts of violence captured and disseminated online.

The command spokesman, SP Alfred Alabo, strongly condemned the alleged assault, categorizing 'jungle justice' and other forms of violence as serious criminal offenses. He further highlighted a critical legal dimension: the act of recording and subsequently uploading violent incidents to social media platforms can expose perpetrators to additional criminal charges. These supplementary charges specifically include offenses related to cybercrime, significantly broadening the scope of criminal liability in such cases.

Alabo emphasized that the commission of a primary crime, such as assault, can often lead to the perpetration of several other offenses. He explicitly stated that beyond the physical act of violence against another individual, the very intention to record such an act constitutes a cybercrime. This perspective indicates a proactive approach by law enforcement to address the digital dissemination of violence, recognizing the harm caused by both the physical act and its online amplification. This development underscores the expanded scope of criminal liability in Nigeria, where recording and uploading violent acts can now lead to cybercrime charges in addition to charges for the underlying assault.

In light of the incident, SP Alabo issued a strong appeal to young people and other residents across the state, urging them to refrain from resorting to self-help or taking the law into their own hands, regardless of the circumstances surrounding any disagreement. He advised citizens to instead report their grievances to authorized third parties who possess the mandate to hear their concerns and ensure justice is served.

Alabo reiterated the importance of reporting criminal incidents and personal grievances to the Police or other appropriate security agencies. He also called upon the public to consistently provide timely and credible information to law enforcement. Such cooperation, he noted, is crucial for security agencies to intervene promptly and prevent situations from escalating into further violence. The police spokesman concluded by reaffirming that the arrested students would be transferred to the State CID and subsequently charged in court, reinforcing the message to avoid 'jungle justice' and report all cases to the correct authorities when aggrieved.

This development underscores the expanded scope of criminal liability in Nigeria, where recording and uploading violent acts can now lead to cybercrime charges in addition to charges for the underlying assault. Legal professionals should advise clients, particularly those active on social media, about these potential additional criminal exposures and the police's proactive stance against 'jungle justice' and related online activities.

Source: Original reporting via The Punch