A suspected electricity transformer vandal has been brutally killed by an angry mob in Calabar, Cross River State, in an incident that has reignited concerns over the prevalence of jungle justice in Nigeria.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at about 6:30 a.m. at Palm Street by Target Junction in Calabar South Local Government Area.
Eyewitnesses reported that the suspect, an unidentified man believed to be in his 30s, was allegedly caught attempting to steal armoured cables and other materials from a transformer serving several streets in the vicinity, including Palm Street, Ededem Street, Target Road, and Academy Road.
An eyewitness who spoke on condition of anonymity told journalists that the suspect's apprehension followed a raised alarm by a resident.
"Someone raised the alarm and a group of people came out. He was apprehended and beaten by the mob before he was set ablaze by the roadside," the witness said.
The Cross River State Police Command confirmed the incident, with spokesperson ASP Sunday Eitokpah stating that officers arrived at the scene only after the mob had already carried out the act.
"Preliminary information indicates that an unidentified male, alleged to be involved in vandalising a transformer, was apprehended by a mob and burnt to death before the arrival of the police," Eitokpah explained.
A police patrol team was immediately deployed following the report and found the burnt corpse in front of the transformer.
Items recovered at the scene included an old electricity meter box, a piece of copper wire, and electric cables suspected to have been removed from the transformer.
Local government authorities and environmental health officials have been contacted to evacuate the remains.
The police spokesperson strongly condemned the act, warning that mob action, also known as jungle justice, is illegal.
"The command wishes to state clearly that mob action is illegal and unacceptable.
Members of the public are advised to hand over suspects to the police for proper investigation and prosecution rather than take the law into their own hands," he said.
An investigation has commenced to identify those involved in the mob action, with further updates to be communicated as the investigation progresses.
#Calabar #JungleJustice #MobAction #TransformerVandal #CrossRiverState #NigeriaNews #CrimeNews #Police