Jungle justice is not justice — it is lawlessness dressed as entertainment

I watched that video of two young men being forced to eat raw pepper and wash it down with dry gin because they allegedly stole a bag of pepper. And I felt sick. Not because I condone theft — I do not. But because we have become a country where mobs decide they are judge, jury, and executioner, and we film it for likes.

Abuja-based lawyer David Mike Agada said it correctly — every accused person remains a suspect until a court finds them guilty. Subjecting anyone to public humiliation, assault, or degrading treatment is unlawful. Full stop. But the trend has a catchy name now: "99 days for the thief, one day for the owner." People are actually defending this. Simon Zion, a public affairs analyst, even joked that if you cannot sing or dance, do not steal in Nigeria. This is not funny. This is dangerous.

What happens when the mob gets it wrong? What happens when the real thief is the person filming, and the person being forced to twerk with cooking pots on their head is innocent? We have seen it happen. The law exists for a reason — to protect both the innocent and the guilty from the rage of the crowd. And if you think jungle justice is a deterrent, ask yourself: has it reduced theft in Benin City or Asaba? Or has it just given us more viral content?