The Plateau State Police Command has arrested four suspects over the death of Ibrahim Mabaye, a 200-level Political Science student of the University of Jos, who was allegedly tortured to death after being accused of stealing a mobile phone.
The tragic incident reportedly occurred at an off-campus residence behind City of David, along Ring Road in Jos North Local Government Area.
A disturbing video of the assault, which has since gone viral on social media, showed the undergraduate being repeatedly beaten with planks and canes before he eventually died, sparking widespread outrage and condemnation.
One of the suspects, 30-year-old Emmanuel Newyear, admitted that the assault began after his cousin reported a missing phone.
He said: “On the 26th of this month, my cousin came to my place saying his phone was missing. We called the deceased and he came to the apartment.
He continued: “He first said the phone was at Naraguta hostel beside a tree, but we didn’t find it. He later said it was at Rayfield. We went there too and still didn’t see it.”
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Newyear further confessed to physically attacking the student in an attempt to force a confession.
He added: “I slapped him inside the room and later brought him outside. I was the one that hit him with a plank three times. I did it so he could tell me where the phone was.”
Another suspect, Teslor Joshua, also admitted to restraining Mabaye while others tied him with a rope.
Meanwhile, Rinji Daniel, the owner of the missing phone, explained that the matter started after he discovered that both his phone and his brother’s power bank had disappeared.
He said: “I called his number but he cut the call. That was when we reported to my cousin. That’s how the whole thing started.”
The police confirmed that investigations are ongoing and assured the public that the suspects would be charged to court.
The killing has continued to attract criticism from students, civil society organisations and residents, many of whom have condemned the act as a clear case of jungle justice.
