The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has warned Nigerians that participating in, encouraging, recording or circulating videos of mob killings will not protect them from prosecution.

Disu issued the warning while condemning the growing incidents of jungle justice across the country, stressing that no individual or group has the authority to arrest, try, convict or execute a suspect outside the judicial process.

The police chief said the Nigeria Police Force would henceforth treat every case of mob action as homicide and ensure that everyone identified as having participated in such incidents is investigated and prosecuted.

According to him, criminal liability would not be limited to those who physically attack or kill victims. Those who organise, incite, encourage or facilitate mob violence could also face prosecution.

“Filming the incidents, circulating these videos, mobilising crowds, or blocking security agents… stopping police from interfering can also attract criminal charges,” Disu said.

He disclosed that he had directed commissioners of police across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to treat every mob action as a homicide and conduct comprehensive forensic and intelligence investigations.

“No exception. We will identify, arrest and prosecute not just the ringleaders, but everybody we can identify who took part in it,” he said.

Disu said investigators would use video recordings, eyewitness accounts and community intelligence to identify individuals involved in mob attacks.

The IGP also warned police officers against failing to intervene or deliberately looking away when mob violence occurs, saying officers found culpable would face disciplinary action.

“Protecting life is not an optional thing for any officer wearing this uniform. You must do your job,” he said.

He urged Nigerians who suspect an individual of committing a crime to report the matter to the police rather than resorting to jungle justice.

“Taking a life is not your civic duty,” Disu said, while calling on community, religious and market leaders to use their influence to discourage mob violence.

The IGP described jungle justice as “savagery” and maintained that such acts would be treated as murder under the law.

He warned that anyone who joins a mob could face severe criminal consequences.

“So to every Nigerian watching this programme, if you join a mob action today, if you join them, you may be answering for a capital offence tomorrow,” he said.

Disu further disclosed that the police were strengthening training on the de-escalation of mob situations, particularly because officers responding to such incidents can sometimes be heavily outnumbered by crowds.

He said the training was being incorporated into programmes for officers engaged in community policing and other frontline duties.