A shocking case of jungle justice has rocked Kaduna State after an angry mob allegedly overpowered police officers, dragged a woman from custody, killed her and set her body ablaze over unverified accusations of child theft.
The tragic incident occurred at the weekend in Maraban Jos, on the outskirts of Kaduna, sparking outrage and renewed concerns about mob violence and the breakdown of law and order.
According to the Kaduna State Police Command, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Maraban Jos received a distress call at about 10:00 a.m. reporting that a woman was being attacked by residents who accused her of stealing a child.
Police officers swiftly responded, rescued the woman and took her into protective custody pending investigation.
However, the situation took a deadly turn when hundreds of angry residents reportedly descended on the police station, overwhelmed officers on duty, forcibly removed the woman from custody and brutally killed her before setting her remains on fire.
Police said there was no evidence to support the allegations against the victim, who was identified as a native of Maraban Jos.
Describing the incident as “barbaric and criminal”, the Kaduna State Police Command condemned the attack, stressing that no individual or group has the right to take the law into their own hands.
“The act is a direct assault on the rule of law and an attack on a police formation,” the command stated.
Several suspects have already been arrested, while security operatives have launched a manhunt for other individuals involved in the lynching.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Muhammad, warned that those responsible would face the full weight of the law, adding that the command would not tolerate jungle justice, mob action or attacks on law enforcement personnel.
He urged residents to report suspicious activities to the authorities and allow due process to take its course rather than resorting to violence, adding that “A full-scale investigation into the incident is ongoing”.
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