Hon. Ikuli Condemns Jungle Justice, Calls For Arrest Of Suspect In Attempted Murder
Hon. Wisdom Oniekpar Ikuli, Technical Adviser to the Governor on Public Affairs, has condemned all forms of jungle justice, describing mob actions and extrajudicial punishment as dangerous practices that have led to the wrongful death of many innocent people.
In a statement issued on June 25, 2026, Ikuli noted that while crime and criminality in all forms are condemnable because they are detrimental to the peace, unity, growth and development of society, jungle justice remains equally unacceptable and must be strongly opposed.
According to him, there have been numerous cases in which innocent, harmless and law-abiding citizens were killed based on false accusations, wrong information, mistaken identity and unfounded allegations. He said women, men and even children have at different times been falsely accused and unjustly subjected to violence and death.
Ikuli recalled the tragic incident involving four young undergraduate students from Bayelsa State who were falsely accused and burnt to death in Choba Town, one of the host communities of the University of Port Harcourt.
He stated that the victims had gone to collect a debt owed to one of them when the debtor allegedly raised a false alarm, accusing the young men of being cultists and armed robbers. The accusation reportedly provoked a mob attack against the students.
According to the statement, the crowd failed to take time to question the young men, while a police officer present at the scene allegedly joined the mob in torturing the victims instead of helping to calm the situation and await reinforcement. The students were eventually set ablaze.
Ikuli lamented that by the time the truth emerged, it was already too late, as the innocent young men had lost their lives. Although some of those involved, including the police officer, were later arrested, tried and sentenced, he noted that the loss suffered by the victims' families could never be reversed.
He urged Nigerians to reflect on the pain endured by the parents, siblings and relatives of victims of jungle justice, stressing that such actions often leave lasting scars on families and communities.
The Technical Adviser also called on the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to apprehend Mr. Ibomanatein Oweifa, identified as the son of the Paramount Ruler of Okodi Community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, over an alleged attempt to burn a young man alive.
Ikuli alleged that Oweifa tied up a defenseless young man, poured fuel on him and set him on fire with the intention of burning him alive, describing the act as attempted murder.
He maintained that every Nigerian citizen, as well as foreigners residing in the country, is protected by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and emphasized that no individual has the right to resort to self-help.
"We are not in a state of nature where might is right," he stated, adding that anyone found culpable of such acts should face the full weight of the law.
Ikuli therefore urged law enforcement agencies to ensure that the suspect is arrested and prosecuted, stressing that accountability is necessary to serve as a deterrent against future acts of jungle justice and unlawful violence.
