A 25-year-old University of Jos graduate, Ibrahim Mbaya, popularly known as “Ibee,” was beaten to death after being accused of stealing a mobile phone in Jos, Plateau State.
The crime, which occurred on Sunday at an off-campus apartment behind the City of David area along Ring Road, Jos, has sparked outrage across Plateau State, with family members, friends, students, and members of the entertainment industry demanding justice for the deceased.
Mbaya, a graduate of the University of Jos who was still processing an outstanding academic issue, had attended a social event on campus before deciding to spend the night at a friend’s residence in Ring Road because it was too late to return to his home in Rayfield.
According to sources, the following morning, his companion notified him that an iPhone had been stolen and suggested that he was the top suspect because they were the only inhabitants of the room.
According to eyewitnesses, Mbaya originally left the flat but returned after receiving a phone call from a buddy, who notified him about the missing phone and asked him to come back to explain himself.
On his return, the young model was allegedly accosted by his friend and many other young guys in the compound, who accused him of taking the phone.
Witnesses said that the group swarmed on him, subjecting him to harsh torture and beating in an attempt to obtain a confession.
The assault apparently lasted many hours, during which the victim was pummeled with sticks and other things until he became unconscious.
A nurse was later summoned to examine him, but he died, according to reports.
According to sources, an attempt was made to transport him to the Accident and Emergency Unit of Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH, before security personnel were notified.
Mbaya’s death has sent shockwaves through Plateau’s fashion and entertainment scene, where he was considered one of the state’s most promising models.
Friends and friends characterized him as serene, hardworking, and talented and said his death has deprived the state of a potentially great young talent.
In response to the tragedy, Prince Miaphen, former acting president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), condemned the death as brutal and unacceptable.
He asked security authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and bring everyone implicated to justice.
A University of Jos student, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, stated that no allegation of theft justified the alleged violent treatment of the deceased.
“Nobody deserves to die because of an allegation. If he was suspected of stealing, he should have been handed over to the police. Justice must be done,” the student said.
The Plateau State Police Command confirmed the event, saying three individuals had been arrested in connection with the alleged culpable killing.
SP Alfred Alabo, the Police Public Relations Officer, said the command got a tip from a Good Samaritan around 11:20 p.m. on July 26 that some teenagers had carried an unconscious guy to Jos University Teaching Hospital under dubious circumstances.
He said police officers were immediately dispatched to the hospital, where the victim was identified as Ibrahim Mbaya, 25, of Rayfield, Jos, but the doctor on duty confirmed his death upon arrival.
According to the police spokeswoman, the deceased’s remains have been put in the hospital mortuary for autopsy, and investigations have begun immediately.
Alabo stated that detectives arrested Rinji Daniel Fwanji, Emmanuel Newyear, and Nensemka Fwanji in connection with the incident.
He stated that preliminary investigations revealed that one of the suspects, Emmanuel Newyear, was captured in a viral video allegedly assaulting the deceased with a large wooden plank and was also identified in photographs obtained by investigators.
According to him, the suspects confirmed that the deceased had been accused of stealing a mobile phone but, rather than reporting the incident to law enforcement, they allegedly took the law into their own hands and beat him until he became unconscious.
According to a police official, the suspects have been taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Jos, while efforts to apprehend additional fleeing suspects continue.
He further stated that after the investigations are completed, they will face charges in court.
The Command decried jungle justice, saying that no one has the legal authority to assault or kill anyone suspected of a crime.
It advised the public to always report suspected crimes to the police or other security services, emphasizing that mob action undermines the rule of law and exposes perpetrators to criminal charges.
