Suspect admits hitting UNIJOS student with plank over missing phone

Suspect admits hitting UNIJOS student with plank over missing phone

Two suspects arrested in connection with the death of Ibrahim Mbaya, a 25-year-old model and University of Jos (UNIJOS) student, have reportedly narrated their alleged roles in the assault that led to his death after he was accused of stealing a mobile phone.

Mbaya, popularly known as “Ibee,” was allegedly attacked around the Ring Road area of Jos North Local Government Area, Plateau State, following the disappearance of an iPhone 12.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with students, civil society groups and other Nigerians condemning the alleged mob violence and calling for justice.

According to the Plateau State Police Command, Mbaya was rescued by some colleagues and rushed to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) for medical attention.

However, the doctor on duty reportedly confirmed that he was dead on arrival. His remains were subsequently deposited at the hospital mortuary as investigations continued.

The police said four suspects were arrested in connection with the incident and were being investigated over their alleged involvement in the assault.

During a police parade, one of the suspects, Emmanuel Newyear, reportedly said the missing phone belonged to his cousin, Rinji Daniel.

Newyear said Daniel informed him that his phone had gone missing after Mbaya spent the night at his apartment following a social event.

According to Newyear, Mbaya was contacted and questioned about the missing device. He claimed that Mbaya gave different locations where the phone could allegedly be found.

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The suspect said they searched the locations mentioned but did not recover the phone.

Newyear said they later returned to the apartment, where several people had gathered.

He reportedly admitted that he first slapped Mbaya inside the room before taking him outside, where the alleged assault continued.

Newyear further admitted that he struck Mbaya with a wooden plank three times, claiming that he wanted to force the student to disclose the location of the missing phone.

“I was the one that hit him with a plank three times. I beat him because I wanted him to tell me where the phone was,” Newyear reportedly said.

Another suspect, Teslor Joshua, said he participated in restraining Mbaya while others tied him with ropes.

Joshua claimed that he held the student’s legs during the restraint but did not participate in the alleged physical assault that followed.

However, the accounts provided by the suspects are part of the ongoing police investigation and have not been tested or established in court.

Rinji Daniel, identified as the owner of the missing phone, reportedly said Mbaya spent the night in his apartment after they returned from an event.

Daniel said Mbaya later told him that he wanted to step outside to answer a phone call but did not return before he and his brother went to sleep.

According to Daniel, he woke up at about 4 a.m. and discovered that Mbaya was no longer in the room.

He also claimed that his phone and his brother’s power bank, which had been connected to chargers, were missing.

Daniel said he searched the apartment and surrounding area but could not find either Mbaya or the missing items.

He added that several attempts to contact Mbaya were initially unsuccessful. Daniel claimed that Mbaya later answered a call made through another person’s phone but ended the call.

Daniel said he subsequently informed his cousin about the missing phone, a development that reportedly led to the confrontation and alleged assault.

The police said the investigation would determine the role played by each suspect and establish whether other persons participated in the incident.

Reports indicated that the missing phone was not recovered from Mbaya. The circumstances surrounding the allegation and the whereabouts of the device remain part of the ongoing investigation.

The incident has renewed concerns about jungle justice, torture and the use of violence against people accused of criminal offences.

Legal and rights advocates have repeatedly stressed that allegations of theft or other crimes should be reported to the police and handled through lawful investigation and the judicial process.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) condemned Mbaya’s death and called for a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation.

The student body said no allegation of theft could justify torture, mob violence or extrajudicial punishment.

The Plateau State Police Command also condemned the incident and warned that no individual has the legal authority to punish another person based only on suspicion or an unverified allegation.

Police said all persons found to have participated in the alleged assault would be held accountable in accordance with the law.

Mbaya’s death has generated grief within the University of Jos community and among members of the fashion and modelling industry.

As the investigation continues, the police are expected to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident, identify any additional suspects and determine whether charges will be filed.

Suspect admits hitting UNIJOS student with plank over missing phone