Inspector-General of Police Tunde Disu has ordered Commissioners of Police across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to intensify investigations into mob violence, warning that anyone who assaults or kills a suspected criminal through so-called jungle justice could face prosecution for murder.

Disu issued the warning in a video circulating on Tuesday, stressing that allegations of criminality do not give members of the public the authority to punish suspects outside the legal system.

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“Anybody who assaults or summarily executes a suspected criminal in the name of mob action is guilty of murder. And the punishment for murder is death,” Disu said.

The police chief also warned that responsibility could extend beyond people who physically attack victims.

According to Disu, people who incite or organise mob attacks, record and circulate footage of the violence, or deliberately prevent police officers from intervening could also face criminal proceedings where the evidence supports such charges.

He said individuals involved in conspiracy to commit murder could face prison terms of up to 14 years.

“We are not going to spare anybody who is involved in mob action.

We will do a thorough investigation, and we will take them to court,” Disu said.

The directive comes amid renewed national concern over mob killings following the death of 25-year-old University of Jos graduate Ibrahim Pilasar Mbaya, who allegedly died after being assaulted over an accusation that he had stolen an iPhone 12.

The Plateau State Police Command has arrested suspects in connection with Mbaya’s death and said investigations indicated that the deceased was allegedly attacked instead of being handed over to law enforcement.

Police investigations have produced disturbing accounts of the incident.

One suspect, Emmanuel Newyear, allegedly admitted striking Mbaya three times with a wooden plank during interrogation.

Another suspect, Joshua Tell, allegedly admitted helping to restrain Mbaya while he was being tied.

Mbaya was eventually taken to the Jos University Teaching Hospital, where he was confirmed dead on arrival, according to police accounts.

The Plateau command has said additional suspects remained at large while investigations continued.

The killing triggered widespread condemnation from civil society organisations, student groups and the University of Jos community.

ActionAid Nigeria described the incident as a devastating example of what can happen when allegations are treated as proof of guilt and people bypass due process.

“A missing phone must never become a death sentence,” ActionAid Nigeria Country Director Dr Andrew Mamedu said, while calling for prosecution of those responsible and stronger mechanisms for protecting students living off campus.

The University of Jos Alumni Association also demanded a thorough investigation, describing Mbaya’s killing as “barbaric, unjustifiable, and a gross violation of the right to life.”

The case has highlighted a recurring problem in Nigeria’s justice system: the tendency for allegations of theft, robbery or other offences to trigger immediate punishment before police have investigated the claims.

Police authorities have repeatedly urged Nigerians to report suspected crimes rather than attempt to establish guilt themselves.

The legal principle is straightforward.

An accusation does not amount to a conviction, and suspects are entitled to due process before a competent court.

Disu’s latest directive appears aimed at making that principle central to the police response to mob violence.

The IGP’s warning also carries a broader message for people who participate indirectly in mob attacks.

Recording an assault, encouraging an attack or preventing authorities from rescuing a victim could potentially become relevant to a criminal investigation if investigators establish that the conduct contributed to the offence.

The warning is particularly significant in an era when incidents of mob violence can quickly spread through social media.

Videos recorded during attacks can generate outrage long after an incident has occurred and may also provide investigators with potentially important evidence.

That evidence has already played a role in the Mbaya investigation.

Police identified Newyear from a viral video allegedly showing him assaulting the deceased with a wooden plank.

Beyond the immediate prosecutions, the case has prompted calls for deeper efforts to rebuild public confidence in law enforcement.

ActionAid Nigeria argued that the response should include stronger emergency reporting systems, better coordination between communities and security agencies and improved protection for students living outside university campuses.

For the police, the challenge will be turning Disu’s nationwide directive into consistent enforcement across communities where mob action can develop rapidly.

For Nigerians, the message from the police is equally direct: suspected criminals should be reported, not punished by crowds.

The IGP Disu jungle justice warning comes at a moment when the death of Ibrahim Mbaya has forced renewed attention on the human cost of taking the law into one’s own hands.

A missing phone, an allegation of theft or any other suspicion cannot legally justify torture or execution.

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As investigations into Mbaya’s death continue, the police are now signalling that future cases of mob action will be treated not as spontaneous community disputes, but as serious criminal matters requiring full investigation and, where evidence supports it, prosecution.