Managing \’Mobocrazy\’

Mob violence has dotted Nigeria\’s history. Usually manifesting as group violence and \’jungle justice\’, the picture of many incidents are attacks, arson, walk of shame, condemnation without trial, death by clubs, burning tyres, sticks and stones. While mob attacks often have an underlying group narrative and purpose, jungle justice actors are usually brought together by the \’call\’ of dispensing justice to victims. Jungle justice perpetrators disperse as quickly as they gather, such that there is scarcely anyone to answer for the crimes. In some cases, the victims are wrongfully accused. For example, on May 12th 2022, a sound engineer was killed by a mob of motorcyclists in Lagos state.

The statistics of mob violence in Nigeria show various perpetrators, cutting across ethnic groups, religious fanatics, and others, drawn together by circumstances. Data from the Nextier Violent Conflict Database recorded 18 incidents of mob attacks, with 23 deaths in 2021. In the first five months of 2022, notable incidents of mob violence in Nigeria include the vandalisation of the M.K.O. Abiola National Stadium by aggrieved football spectators and the killing of Deborah Samuel for blasphemy in Sokoto state. On May 19th 2022, an altercation ensued between market traders and motorcyclists at Dei-Dei, a building materials hub in Abuja, Nigeria\’s capital. The incident led to mob violence that destroyed several properties, including market stalls and warehouses. Between January and May 2022, 14 deaths have resulted from 8 violent mob incidents in Nigeria. In the last 23 months, the Nextier Violent Conflict Database show there have been at least 35 cases of mob violence leading to 62 casualties and properties that have been destroyed.

Although mob violence is not a Nigerian phenomenon, its occurrence can be aided by certain inherent conditions. There are perceptions of corruption and lack of trust by Nigerians about security agencies\’ handling of criminal cases. There is also the disregard for the criminal justice system, which is often viewed as tardy in dispensing justice. A 2014 survey conducted by NOI-POLL, a country-specific polling service in West Africa, revealed that 51 per cent of Nigerians attribute the high prevalence of jungle justice to a \’lack of trust in the law enforcement agencies. This distrust is portrayed in the predisposition to seek jungle justice and reprisal attacks in place of engaging appropriate agencies for redress.

Crowd mentality and ineffective securitisation also aid mob violence. The politicisation and weaponisation of group identities to pursue value, protection and revenge-seeking fuels the instances of mob violence. Le Bon in The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind holds that crowd behaviour is essentially contagious such that one person\’s excitement, anger or violence can quickly be picked up by others. This scenario appears more realistic in mobs that share similar identities and purposes. On the security side, ineffective securitisation, especially reactive efforts, can give ample room for relatively minor altercations to snowball into mob violence. The aftermath of mob violence goes beyond the losses of lives and properties, especially where group affiliations are involved. Therefore, they often have ethnoreligious implications, especially for Nigeria and other culturally diverse countries.

To reduce the propensity of mob violence in Nigeria is to engage in isolated and interrelated actions. First is promoting national cohesion as a panacea for building tolerance and peace among Nigeria\’s multiple sub-populations. Therefore, the Nigerian government and its development partners should increase programming activities geared towards national cohesion. It is essential also to explore what socio-culturally diverse communities are doing to live in harmony. Then, such practices can be enhanced and replicated.

There is a need to revamp Nigeria\’s criminal justice system to manage current realities. Pre-colonial Nigeria may have practised semblances of present-day jungle justice. According to Obarisiagbon (2018), various indigenous societies that later made up Nigeria had multiple forms of social control and administration of justice. Civil and criminal matters mainly were publicly heard, and justice ranged from public flogging and restitution to banishment. However, with the advent of the British colonial government, the modern-day administration of criminal justice replaced the pre-colonial practices, although the essence of both structures was to ensure peace, safety and social order. Arguably, the failure of these new structures to uphold the criminal justice system largely led to the spread of self-help, which includes jungle justice. According to reports, out of the nearly 74,000 inmates in Nigeria, only about 24,000 have been convicted. This means that almost 70 per cent of the total prison population is awaiting trial. The delay in getting justice contrasts with the quick and dirty mob action to hastily ensure that suspected criminals are not lost to the slow-paced criminal justice system.

Nigeria\’s security organisations should commit to a more proactive securitisation and additional training on managing riots. Proactive engagements, early warning and response mechanisms will help prevent the escalation of full-blown violence. In addition, increased training for riot police personnel will create a readily available and tactical team that can effectively handle civil unrest. Unfortunately, Nigeria\’s security operatives are drawn to multiple violent hotbeds in the country. Given the nature of security challenges and other interrelated issues, the propensity for mob violence in Nigeria may remain high.