ABUJA, Nigeria – A growing trend of public humiliation targeting suspected thieves is spreading across parts of Nigeria, with viral videos showing alleged offenders being forced into degrading acts instead of being handed over to law enforcement authorities.
The trend, popularly described on social media as "99 days for the thief, one day for the owner," has been particularly visible in parts of the South-South region, including Benin City in Edo State and Asaba in Delta State, where videos of suspects being publicly shamed, beaten and paraded have surfaced in recent months.
In one of the latest incidents, two young men accused of stealing a bag of fresh pepper were allegedly forced by a crowd to eat raw pepper and drink dry gin while seated beside the stolen items. The exact location of the incident has not been independently verified, and police authorities have yet to issue an official statement.
Other viral clips show suspects accused of stealing electrical wires being forced to wear makeshift crowns fashioned from the wires and perform before onlookers. In separate incidents, alleged thieves were reportedly compelled to dance and entertain crowds while the items they were accused of stealing were displayed around them.
The trend has generated mixed reactions across social media, with some Nigerians arguing that public humiliation serves as a deterrent against theft, while others warn that such actions amount to jungle justice and undermine the rule of law.
Abuja-based lawyer David Mike Agada condemned the practice, stressing that every accused person remains innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
"The law is very clear. A suspect remains innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. Subjecting anyone to public humiliation, assault or degrading treatment is unlawful," he said.
He urged members of the public to hand over suspects to security agencies for proper investigation and prosecution instead of taking the law into their own hands.
Peoplesmind reports that legal experts and rights advocates have continued to warn against vigilante justice, noting that public humiliation and mob punishment risk violating fundamental human rights and could lead to innocent people being wrongly punished.
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