News
Experts lament incessant rate of jungle justice in Nigeria.
• As whereabout of 36-year old graduate throws family into panic.
EXPERTS and professionals as well as families of victims of jungle justice have lamented the increasing rate of jungle justice against innocent citizens in the country.
They urged the people to always do their findings thoroughly before they conclude to carry out their own way of punishment on suspected innocent citizens.
The experts in their separate reactions urged government to increase the awareness campaign on human rights violation and the punishment that awaits the offenders.
In a phone interview, the National Programme Officer of Nigeria Association of Social Workers (NASOW), Mr. Jamal Ali Ahmed said that the social crises in the country has led many Nigerians to resort to jungle justice due to frustration.
Ahmed who decried the jumbo salaries and allowances of political office holders stated that people should fight corruption than to carry out jungle justice on alleged offenders.
“The Senate and the House of Representatives make laws and give themselves special allowances while the poor are left with nothing, the implications are that the poor and the youth will eventually fight or they will commit crimes to sustain themselves.
Similarly, the Senior Lecturer at Department of Social Development, Jigawa State Polytechnic, Dutse further explained that, “The social worker’s roles are advocacy, sensitize and mediate, the people should fight corruption and injustice such as jungle justice, the government should create policies that will reduce such kind extraneous allowances to the law makers.
An Ibadan based civil servant, Mr. Raji Ajewole while revealing the pain their family is presently going through, hinted that one of his family member, Mr. Gbolahan Abimbola Samuel whose whereabout is yet to be known is a victim of jungle justice in 2014.
Ajewole said up till now the whereabout of Samuel is still unknown.
Giving accounts of the ordeal of the family, Ajewole said the incident that happened in 2014 has not only saddened the family but kept them in the darkness on the whereabout of 36-year old man, Samuel.
He said “Sometimes in early 2014, some people accosted Samuel and without any information about the alleged gay issue, they started to beat him. It was the trauma and the stigmatization of the alleged gay issue that made Samuel to run and flee to a destination yet to ascertained.
Mr. Ajewole stressed that all efforts by the family to know whereabout of their family member, Samuel has proved to be abortive. He therefore appealed to all Nigerians to help them locate him, saying that people should not be allowed to take laws into their hands.
It was gathered that the case of Samuel is not different with other Nigerians who had a similar experience of injustice.
At the twilight of 2016, the Nigerian media was flooded with the news of a 7 -year old boy who was allegedly killed for stealing. The boy was also a victim of jungle justice in Nigeria.
In his own contributions, an Ibadan-based legal practitioner, Barrister Ibraheem Kareem-Ojo described jungle justice as illegal and unconstitutional adding that it is a crime against humanity.
Barrister Kareem-Ojo explained that the 1999 constitution (as amended) guarantees the right of every citizen to life, hence no one has the right to take another man’s life.
The legal practitioner who cited several cases of jungle justice such as the Alu Crisis in Portharcourt in 2012 where four (4) students were wrongly accused of cultism and the story of a man who was wrongly accused of theft last year at a shopping mall in Lagos called on governments at all levels to put necessary machinery in place to step up the campaign on human rights violation.
While expressing his displeasure, he said it will be wrong for an individual to punish an alleged offender without informing the law enforcement agencies to carry out their duties.
Speaking further, Kareem-Ojo urged those in positions of authority to ensure citizens’ rights campaigns and be more responsible to the people. He therefore implored people to have confidence in the law enforcement agencies by reporting perpetrators of crimes to the security agents instead of using their own hands and methods to combat crimes.
Similarly, an Ibadan based human rights activist, Mr. Hamid Ishola submitted that government should make compulsory civic education at all levels of education so as to make all citizens aware of their duties and rights in the country.
The human rights crusader who laments the rate of jungle justice in the country urged Nigerians not to wage war against themselves but against those who are milking the treasury of the country.
Ishola said it will be amount to violation of individual rights if another person tamper with other people’s right unjustly.
In a related development, a Lagos-based Registered Social Worker and Rehabilitation Therapist, Mr. Oloyede Oyewale described jungle justice as act of disregarding the rule of law and taking laws into one’s hands.
His words, “a situation whereby angry mobsters do whatever they like to suspected criminals like setting them ablaze. It has to be noted that every criminal is innocent or a suspect until proven guilty irrespective of the offense the individual is accused of. This has been on the rise in Nigeria as people day in day out take laws into their hands without any regard for the law, morals or human dignity.
“It has to be noted that despite this, there has not in anyway reduced crime rates in our society and this act will never reduce it. Jungle justice is barbaric, evil, a total disregard for human dignity and total violation of human rights.
“A pertinent example is the Apo Killing, the brutal killings of four students of the University of Port Hartcourt by mobsters in October 2012 who reportedly went to their debtor to recover their money were beaten to pulp, laced with tyres and burnt to death in Omuokiri, Aluu, Rivers State following a mischievous alarm by their debtor.
“The social implications cannot be overemphasized. The public has to be sensitized and perpetrators be made to face the law. Our government should improve the welfare of the law enforcement agents so as to do that which is right, the masses have lost trust in the law enforcement agents and this has to be regained.
“Social workers are advocates, the voice to the voiceless, as a matter of fact, social workers must raise up to this challenge and beat the drum into the ears of the policy makers, human right must be respected, suspected criminals must be given a fair hearing, this is not to say that we take side with criminals or support criminal activities. We must advocate for a zero jungle justice”, he continued.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
State governors have proposed a new national minimum wage of N100,000 for Nigerian workers as part of efforts to cushion them from the biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), disclosed the proposal on Saturday in a post by the state government’s official Facebook page. He said the move aims to improve workers’ welfare while ensuring that government finances remain sustainable.
“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”
The NGF chairman explained that ongoing discussions are focused on balancing the need to boost workers’ purchasing power with the capacity of governments to deliver essential public services and development projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain projects that directly impact citizens,” he added.
The proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to intensify national debates on salaries, inflation, and broader economic reforms as Nigerians continue to contend with rising food prices, transportation costs, and other living expenses.
Currently, Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month. Some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are already paying above the national benchmark to support workers amid the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has continued to call for a comprehensive review of salaries, insisting that workers deserve a living wage that reflects present-day economic realities rather than merely guaranteeing survival.
The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, rose to N1,532.93 per litre in April 2026, representing a 23.69 per cent increase compared to the N1,239.33 recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, findings by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have shown.
The sharp rise in petrol prices came amid mounting inflationary pressure and worsening living costs, with Nigerians grappling with soaring transportation and food expenses that have continued to shrink household purchasing power.
The NBS disclosed this in its Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for April 2026, released on Friday.
The report further showed that on a month-on-month basis, petrol prices rose by 18.97 per cent from N1,288.54 recorded in March 2026, underscoring persistent volatility in the downstream petroleum market.
A breakdown of prices across states revealed that Yobe recorded the highest average retail price for petrol at N1,599.05 per litre during the review period.
Edo and Bauchi followed closely with average prices of N1,595.74 and N1,589.07, respectively.
However, Niger residents paid the least for petrol at an average of N1,403.89 per litre, while Sokoto and Katsina recorded N1,404.16 and N1,406.28 respectively.
At the zonal level, the South-South recorded the highest average retail price at N1,566.76 per litre, while the North-West posted the lowest at N1,508.81.
The latest petrol price increase comes as millions of Nigerians continue to battle the ripple effects of rising inflation, with higher energy costs worsening transportation fares and the prices of essential commodities.
Similarly, the NBS said the average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, rose by 13.73 per cent month-on-month to N8,706.93 in April 2026 from N7,655.73 recorded in March.
On a year-on-year basis, the price increased by 10.42 per cent from N7,885.60 recorded in April 2025.
Lagos recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,745.10, followed by Nasarawa at N9,451.70 and Bayelsa at N9,422.74.
In contrast, Anambra recorded the lowest average price at N7,204.76, while Ondo and Ogun followed with N7,239.49 and N7,825.75, respectively.
At the regional level, the North-West recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,025.07, followed by the North-East at N8,847.16, while the South-East posted the lowest average price at N8,224.37.
Also, the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas increased by 13.89 per cent month-on-month to N22,382.20 in April 2026 from N19,652.83 in March.
Compared to April 2025, the price rose by 10.43 per cent from N20,268.06.
According to the NBS LPG Price Watch for April, Katsina recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N25,596.71, followed by Kogi at N24,558.25 and Gombe at N24,438.97.
Ogun recorded the lowest average price at N19,564.36, while Bauchi and Anambra followed at N20,178.87 and N20,511.90 respectively.
The North-West recorded the highest zonal average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N23,276.95, followed by the North-Central at N22,865.29, while the South-East posted the lowest average at N21,060.92.
The latest figures signal growing pressure on household energy costs, raising concerns over the implications for inflation and the cost of living in the coming months.
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