the News

The menace of Jungle Justice is indeed a deep rooted social evil that has led to the loss of countless souls. This misnomer, Jungle Justice, basically involves the trial and execution, usually in a gruesome manner, of alleged culprits who have committed crimes ranging from petty offences like shoplifting to cases like armed robbery. In the laws of the jungle no one is spared as even an attempt at a crime is enough to evoke the wrath of the jungle.

Recently however, the menace has taken a different dimension and its reaching out and claiming new victims- children.

Residents in Lagos and television viewers nation-wide witnessed first hand, the brutality of a mob. It involved the trial, condemnation and execution of an 11-year-old boy, Samuel. This gruesome 20 minute flick which hit the airwaves during the evening news showed in vivid pictures the extent of mans inhumanity to man, or as in this case an under aged boy. Is this the case of a dysfunctional system? A loss of faith in the nations security system and a perceived slow judiciary? A total collapse of sanity and loss of respect for the sanctity of human life? Or is this a case of getting a full dose of justice à la jungle justice? You be the judge.

Our story takes place in Surulere, a suburb in the heart of Lagos, the commercial nerve center of Nigeria. It takes place on a sunny afternoon where the unsuspecting victim, a street urchin named Samuel, is about to be executed by a mob.

11-year-old Samuel was accused of attempting to kidnap a child. A woman allegedly spotted him while he was playing football in the midst of local children. The sum of N50 ($0.38) was found on him and this was to be used, as evidence by his would be accuser as the fee paid to him to execute the job.

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