A chilling wave of mob justice gripped Lushi community in Bauchi State on Tuesday night, April 9, 2025, as a man identified simply as Peter was gruesomely lynched and his companion, 38-year-old Dokagk Danladi, left battling for life after being accused of stealing a dog. The disturbing attack, which took place around 11:30 p.m., has sparked outrage and renewed calls for justice reform.
Eyewitness accounts reveal that the two men were surrounded by an irate crowd of youths who descended on them with machetes and sticks, accusing them of attempting to steal a local breed of dog from a residence. Before security operatives could arrive, Peter had already succumbed to fatal injuries while Danladi was butchered and abandoned in a pool of blood.
Police spokesman SP Ahmed Wakil confirmed the attack in a statement on Thursday, noting that a team led by the Divisional Police Officer visited the scene to recover evidence and initiate a manhunt for the perpetrators. Danladi, who sustained severe head injuries, is currently receiving treatment at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital.
The incident has since drawn condemnation from the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, who described the mob action as a “barbaric affront to the rule of law.” He warned that such extrajudicial killings will not be tolerated, regardless of the alleged offence, and promised that justice will be served without fear or favor.
Aliyu stressed the importance of due process, reminding citizens that suspects, no matter the crime, must be handed over to the authorities. “Mob justice is a criminal offence. Those who participated in this act will face the full wrath of the law,” he declared.
According to sources within the community, tensions have been high recently over petty thefts, but this is the first incident involving a dog theft that has led to a fatality. Residents say the dog in question belonged to a local breeder and had reportedly gone missing days earlier, although no concrete evidence linked the victims to its disappearance.
Authorities are calling on residents to remain calm as investigations continue, while rights groups and civil society organizations have renewed their advocacy against mob violence, insisting that Nigeria’s justice system must prevail over street executions.
