Women, children face higher risk of abuse from jungle justice

The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) says women, children and other vulnerable people face a heightened risk of wrongful accusations, abuse and exploitation when communities resort to jungle justice.

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The Chairperson of FIDA Plateau Chapter, Naankus Fyaktu, stated this while reacting to the alleged mob killings of Ibrahim Mbaya in Jos and Ummulkhairi in Mararaban Jos, Kaduna State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Mbaya was allegedly tortured to death on 26 July at an off-campus residence in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State over allegations that he stole an iPhone 12.

Ummulkhairi, on the other hand, was tortured for alleged Child kidnapping on June 21.

Ms Fyaktu told NAN in Abuja on Wednesday, that women and children were especially vulnerable to wrongful accusations, sexual violence, physical abuse and other forms of exploitation when communities resorted to mob action.

She described jungle justice as an “illegal form of extrajudicial punishment where an angry mob beats, tortures, or kills a person suspected of a crime without a legal trial”.

“The human rights consequences of jungle justice is that it violates the right to life, fair hearing, dignity and due process as enshrined in Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended) and other International and regional legal frameworks,” she said.

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She attributed the escalation of allegations into mob action to misinformation, rumours, social media reports, anger, hatred, vindictive accusations and distrust of the police.

She added that the desire for immediate punishment could also make people take the law into their own hands, with mere allegations sometimes wrongly treated as proof of guilt.

She also said that the consequences of jungle justice extend to families, who could suffer grief, trauma, financial hardship and stigma, particularly when the victim was a breadwinner.

“It also creates fear, promotes lawlessness, weakens trust in the justice system and can trigger retaliation, self-help or further violence,” she added.

Ms Fyaktu urged victims or families of jungle justice to report cases to the police, seek prosecution of perpetrators and pursue civil claims for compensation or damages.

She said perpetrators could face criminal charges, including murder, culpable homicide, assault, unlawful assembly or other applicable offences, depending on the circumstances.

The FIDA chairperson called for stronger policing, public education, rapid response mechanisms and improved access to justice to prevent mob violence.

She urged law enforcement agencies to investigate allegations promptly, protect accused persons and victims, combat misinformation and ensure that perpetrators of mob violence were arrested and prosecuted.

Ms Fyaktu also called on community and traditional leaders to discourage residents from taking the law into their own hands.

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“Community and traditional leaders should also actively discourage taking the law into one’s hands.

“Civil societies and human rights organisations like the Justice Sector Reform team, Nigeria Bar Association, FIDA and Nigeria Association of Women Journalists should continue to create awareness and sensitise the public on the illegality and consequences of mob action.

“The sensitisation should cover mob action, jungle justice and all forms of human rights violations,” she said.

She said that strengthening public confidence in lawful institutions remained critical to preventing communities from resorting to self-help whenever allegations of crime arose.

(NAN)