The alleged lynching of a 25-year-old University of Jos (UNIJOS) student, Ibrahim Mbaye, over claims that he stole a mobile phone has sparked widespread outrage, with the police arresting three suspects, while the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) is demanding justice.

Mbaye was reportedly beaten to death by fellow students after he was accused of stealing an iPhone.
Although initial reports claimed it was an iPhone 16, police investigations indicated that the allegation involved an iPhone 12.

The phone was reportedly never found in his possession.

According to reports, Mbaye was brutally assaulted by a group of individuals, humiliated, and locked inside a room before he was taken to the hospital unconscious.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Plateau State Police Command, SP Alfred Alabo, said three suspects had been arrested in connection with the alleged culpable homicide.

Alabo said the command received a report at about 11:20 p.m. on July 26, 2026, from a Good Samaritan at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), informing officers that some youths had brought an unconscious man to the hospital under suspicious circumstances.

Police operatives immediately responded and identified the victim as Ibrahim Mbaye, 25, of Rayfield, Jos.

He was, however, confirmed dead on arrival by the doctor on duty. His remains have been deposited in the hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy.

The police spokesman said detectives immediately launched an investigation, leading to the arrest of three suspects identified as Rinji Daniel Fwanji, 25; Emmanuel Newyear, 30; and Nensemka Fwanji, 22.

According to Alabo, investigations revealed that one of the suspects, Newyear, was captured in a viral video using a large wooden plank to assault the deceased.

He was also identified in photographs obtained during the investigation.

He said the suspects admitted during interrogation that they attacked Mbaye because they suspected him of stealing a mobile phone instead of reporting the matter to law enforcement authorities.

“The suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Jos, where discreet investigation is ongoing.

Efforts have also been intensified to apprehend other fleeing suspects connected to the crime.

Upon conclusion of the investigation, the suspects will be charged to court accordingly,” Alabo said.

He condemned the jungle justice, stressing that no individual or group has the legal authority to assault or kill anyone suspected of committing an offence.

The police urged members of the public to always report criminal allegations to security agencies rather than taking the law into their own hands, warning that mob action undermines the rule of law and exposes perpetrators to criminal prosecution.

The incident drew strong condemnation from NANS, which described the killing as cruel, senseless, and unacceptable.

In a statement, NANS President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, expressed grief over Mbaye’s death and extended condolences to his family, friends, and the University of Jos community.

“It is deeply heartbreaking that a promising young student had to lose his life in such a cruel and senseless manner. No allegation, regardless of its nature, justifies mob violence or extrajudicial punishment,” he said.

Afeez welcomed reports that some suspects had been arrested but urged security agencies to ensure that everyone involved in the killing is brought to justice.

“We have repeatedly warned against taking the law into our own hands. Such acts have no place on our campuses or in society and must be condemned by every student and every well-meaning Nigerian,” he said.

He called for a thorough, impartial, and swift investigation, insisting that justice must not only be done but must also be seen to have been done to deter future acts of mob violence.

“No student should ever lose their life to jungle justice,” the NANS president added.

The killing has renewed concerns over student safety and the increasing incidence of mob justice in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, with stakeholders calling for stronger campus security, greater awareness of due process, and stricter enforcement of the law against perpetrators of extrajudicial violence.

The incident also mirrors similar tragedies recorded in recent years. In 2023, a final-year Civil Engineering student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Okoli Ahinze, was allegedly lynched by fellow students following accusations that he stole a mobile phone.

The latest case further reflects the broader challenge of mob violence across the country.

According to Amnesty International’s 2024 report, at least 555 people were killed in incidents of mob violence in Nigeria between 2012 and 2023, highlighting the deadly consequences of extrajudicial punishment and the urgent need for greater public education, accountability, and respect for the rule of law.