The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Cross River State chapter, has thrown its weight behind efforts to curb mob violence, jungle justice and related crimes, describing them as threats to peace, human rights and sustainable development.
The group said young people must now rise above destructive tendencies and embrace lawful means of addressing grievances.
The council’s chairman, Olayi Emmanuel, made this known in Calabar during an awareness campaign against mob violence organised by Amnesty International Nigeria.
Olayi lamented the rising incidents of mob attacks across the state, noting that young people are often the key actors—either as victims or perpetrators. He warned that jungle justice erodes the rule of law and fuels distrust between communities and security operatives.
“As a council, we say a complete no to mob action. We say no to crime, no to stealing, and no to all forms of criminality. If there is no criminality, people will not take the law into their hands,” Olayi said.
The youth leader urged residents to report suspected offenders to the police and other law enforcement agencies, rather than resorting to violence. He also charged security operatives to act with integrity and resist the temptation of freeing criminals in exchange for bribes or political pressure.
“We must bridge the trust gap between the people and the authorities. Leaders, too, must stop shielding criminals because they are relatives or political supporters,” he warned.
Olayi further decried the frequent use of witchcraft accusations as a pretext for mob action, describing it as a dangerous myth that often targets children from poor families.
“It is sad when people say someone is a witch or wizard without proof. The most painful cases are young children whose parents give them out to work in the city due to poverty. Labelling a child like that destroys their self-esteem and future,” he said.
He also called for responsible parenting, urging families to give birth to only the number of children they can adequately cater for.
The NYCN chairman assured that the council would partner with local and international organisations to expand the campaign across the state.
“Now that we have done this in Calabar, we must ask how we get to Boki, how we get to Obudu. With our structures across the state, we can drive home the message even more,” he added.
