The 3 suspects in police custody for alleged murder
The alleged torture and killing of a 25-year-old student of the University of Jos (UNIJOS), Ibrahim Mbaya, over accusations of stealing an iPhone 12 has sparked widespread outrage, with the Plateau State Police Command confirming the arrest of three suspects in connection with the incident.
The incident, which reportedly occurred at an off-campus residence in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, has attracted condemnation from the University of Jos Alumni Association, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and other Nigerians, who have demanded justice and called for an end to jungle justice.
The Plateau State Police Command, in a statement issued on Monday by its spokesperson, Alfred Alabo, said it received information at about 11:20 p.m. on Sunday from a Good Samaritan at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) that some youths had brought an unconscious man to the hospital under suspicious circumstances.
According to the police, officers immediately responded to the report and identified the victim as Ibrahim Mbaya, 25, of Rayfield, Jos. He was, however, confirmed dead on arrival by the doctor on duty.
Videos and photographs circulating on social media allegedly showed the victim tied up and suspended while being assaulted. Another clip showed him lying on the ground as he was repeatedly beaten with a wooden plank.
Police detectives subsequently launched an investigation and arrested three suspects identified as Rinji Fwanji, 25; Emmanuel Newyear, 30; and Nensemka Fwanji, 22.
Preliminary investigations, the command said, revealed that the suspects allegedly accused Mbaya of stealing an iPhone 12 and subjected him to severe assault instead of reporting the allegation to the police.
The command further stated that one of the suspects, Emmanuel Newyear, was identified in one of the viral videos allegedly hitting the deceased with a large wooden plank.
According to the police, the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Jos, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other suspects who reportedly fled after the incident.
Alumni, NANS condemn killing
Reacting to the incident, the University of Jos Alumni Association described the killing as senseless and inconsistent with the values of the institution.
In a statement shared on its verified social media platforms, the association condemned the incident in strong terms and urged security agencies to conduct a thorough, transparent and impartial investigation to ensure that everyone involved is brought to justice.
“We condemn this senseless and reprehensible act in the strongest possible terms,” the association said.
It maintained that no grievance or allegation justified the taking of a human life and stressed that accountability was necessary to preserve confidence in the safety of the university community.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) also condemned the killing, describing it as a disturbing act of jungle justice. The student body called on security agencies to ensure that all those responsible for the incident are arrested and prosecuted, while urging Nigerians to desist from taking the law into their own hands.
