The Society Killed Ibee Mbaya

In the past few days, there have been a massive trend of jungle justice, with videos of severely battered persons, alleged of stealing, flooding the media space. Some of these persons were rendered naked, most beaten beyond recognition, and some were made to dance or do some act as a form of public humiliation. These videos gained so much traction, and people in the comment section often appraise the act, enjoying the sight. Popular comments include "If you thief this period, you will realize you have hidden talents" and "99 days for the thief, one day for the owner, this year seems to be the year of the owner". So many of these videos flooded social media so much, and people leverage on building traction for their account via them. These acts, considered harmless by most people who made the repost, who liked the video, who dropped a commending comment, all culminated in developing the broken windows effect and open the room for disindividuation.

Persons who were involved in the mob actions, recorded or posted these videos were not punished, and neither did the Nigeria Police Force apprehend the trend. Instead, they were rewarded with more views, more like, and more acceptance. This, therefore, creates an urge and a social orientation that the act was acceptable or at least not condemnable, and everyone who catches an "alleged thief" offered the social media more content. I found this especially in the gory video of Ibee Mbaya's murder where the person recording the video was doing it with so much joy repeating the trending quote of 2026 being the year for the owner. From the start to the finish, until Ibee Mbaya lost his breath, the actors were flooded with the potential reward and pleasure of their act which the society currently enjoys and never for once thought of the repercussions.

Stating it categorically, mob action is a crime! jungle justice or self-help is a crime! trial by ordeal is also a crime, and the society is a principal party in the murder of Ibee Mbaya for allowing the repost by commending the act and creating a social trend that facilitated his death.

It is my recommendation, therefore, that the society should not just shed tears for the death of Ibee Mbaya, but to also shed the tears of how callous we have become, that dastard acts now carries pleasure. The society should also do more than seek justice for Mbaya by requesting the prosecution of the actors in Mbaya's case, but the society should ensure that videos of mob actions are reported and taken down. All likes and comments encouraging the act are deleted. That a law is also made to penalize specially not just persons directly involved in self-help actions, but persons who encourage the act, make videos, post them online, like them, reshare them or offer encouraging comments.

Finally, I must state that the perceived incompetence of the Nigerian Police Force by a large population of the society is not an excuse for jungle justice. If an alleged thief is apprehended and handed over to the police, a lawyer can be hired by the complainant to ensure the matter is monitored and that the police takes the right step from start to finish.

If we wish to avoid another incident of Ibee Mbaya, the society has to stand against jungle justice, and do it decisively.

Olatunde Olayinka Damilola Esq,, a right lawyer at Heltavel LP, writing in disapproval of jungle justice and self-help.