Stand Against Mob Violence in Nigeria
Mob violence is a deadly practice claiming lives and destroying families across Nigeria. Too often, people are targeted by angry crowds, brutally attacked, and even killed without evidence, without trial, and without justice. We must act now to demand accountability and stop this cycle of lawlessness.
What’s the problem?
In recent years, Nigeria has seen a disturbing rise in mob violence — also known as jungle justice. In many cases, individuals are beaten, burned, or killed by groups of people based on nothing more than suspicion or accusation of wrongdoing.
Victims have included:
- Young people falsely accused of theft, blasphemy etc.
- Children and teenagers, sometimes mistakenly accused of petty crimes.
- Women, including sex workers and women accused of witchcraft.
- Mentally ill persons, who are misunderstood or feared in public spaces.
These acts are often fueled by public distrust in the justice system, misinformation, or frustration with slow legal processes. But extrajudicial killings can never be the answer. No one deserves to die without a fair hearing.
A call for justice
Despite the scale of this problem, very few perpetrators are ever arrested or prosecuted. The culture of silence and complicity must end. We are calling on Nigerian authorities to take urgent steps to stop mob violence by:
- Investigating and prosecuting all reported cases of mob violence.
- Training and equipping law enforcement to prevent and de-escalate mob situations.
- Launching nationwide public education on due process and the dangers of jungle justice.
- Supporting survivors and the families of victims to access justice and healing.
What can you do to help?
Raise your voice and demand justice:
Sign our petition to call on the Nigerian government to take decisive action against mob violence.