Mob violence surges in Nigeria amidst govt’s failure to protect lives — Amnesty International

A new report from Amnesty International highlights a rise in mob violence across Nigeria, attributing the increase to failure of government law enforcement to protect lives.

The report released on Monday is titled, Instantly Killed: How Law Enforcement failures exacerbate wave of mob violence in Nigeria.

It outlines a disturbing trend where individuals accused of offences like theft, blasphemy, shoplifting, and witchcraft are subjected to brutal assaults, torture, and summary executions—often with the perpetrators escaping accountability.

The research documents such mob violence cases involving at least 13 women, six children, and two persons with actual or perceived mental health illnesses and/or psycho-social or intellectual disabilities.

These cases come from each of the nation’s six geopolitical zones: South-South (82), South-East (43), South-West (98), North-Central (42), North-West (100), and North-East (26).

The international organisation looked at cases of between January 2012 to August 2023 in a bid to compile the investigative report, recording at least 555 victims of mob violence, from 363 documented incidents across Nigeria.

“Over the period of this investigation at least 57 people were killed by violent mobs; 32 were burnt alive, 2 persons were buried alive, while 23 people were tortured to death. Many cases of mob killings in remote areas go unreported,” the report stated.

The Nigerian government has yet to respond to Amnesty International’s findings.

As of press time on Monday, both Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Strategy and Information to President Tinubu, and Sunday Dare, Special Adviser on Public Communication, had not responded to calls and messages from PREMIUM TIMES requesting their comments.

‘A big threat to life’

Reacting on the findings of the report, Isa Sanusi, the Director of Amnesty International in Nigeria, said that the menace of mob violence is perhaps one of the biggest threats to the right to life in Nigeria.

“The fact that these killings have been happening for a long time, with few cases investigated and prosecuted, highlights the authorities’ shocking failure to uphold and fulfil their obligation to protect people from harm and violence.

“The failure of law enforcement agencies, especially the Nigeria Police Force, to prevent mob violence, investigate allegations of torture and killings, and bring suspected perpetrators to justice, is empowering mobs to kill. The problem is compounded by weak and corrupt legal institutions and systems,” Mr Sanusi said.

“It is appalling that mob violence is gradually becoming the norm, often meted out in crowded areas, such as motor parks, market areas and busy roads. Victims were always tortured including by beating, stoning, or via the use of improvised weapons like sticks and metal rods.”

The Nigerian government is failing to protect the human rights of victims and their families of victims, Mr Sanusi said.

He added that the government is not addressing the problem of access to justice and effective remedies for victims enough.

“Government must ensure prompt, thorough, impartial, independent, transparent and effective investigation of cases of mob violence and bring those suspected to be responsible to justice in fair trials.

“Authorities should also take appropriate and effective measures to prevent cases of mob violence across the country and ensure access to justice and effective remedies for victims. The police must be adequately equipped to prevent and respond to mob violence,” he said.

An overview of Nigeria’s jungle justice

The Amnesty International’s report noted that while mob violence is mostly targeted at those accused of theft, of taking part in rituals or practising witchcraft in the southern parts of Nigeria, it is mostly used against those accused of blasphemy and often endorsed by religious clerics in the northern parts of the country.

The report said that those struggling with mental health issues and psycho-social disabilities are increasingly targeted by violent persons that use their disabilities to make false accusations against victims and to justify lynching them.

“Many of the victims of mob violence were targeted because of their social status, identities as members of religious or other minority groups. Other reasons for targeting victims include attempts to curtail the rights to freedom of expression, and freedom from discrimination due to gender or specific conditions, including against women, children, and people with psycho-social disabilities,” the report added.