Twenty-Four Arraigned After Mob Kills Woman in Kaduna Police Custody
A Magistrate Court at Nigeria Defence Academy Junction in Kaduna has arraigned 24 suspects following the brutal killing of a woman in the Maraban Jos area. The suspects face multiple charges, including culpable homicide, criminal conspiracy, mischief, inciting public disturbance, and the destruction of police and public property.
The incident began on a Saturday morning when police received reports that a woman was being assaulted by a crowd over allegations of child theft. According to the Kaduna State Police Command, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Maraban Jos led a team to rescue the woman and placed her in protective custody at the police station for further investigation.
However, the situation escalated when a mob numbering in the hundreds stormed the police facility. The crowd overpowered the officers on duty, forcibly removed the woman from custody, and killed her before setting her body ablaze. Police spokesperson Mansir Hassan described the act as barbaric and a direct assault on the rule of law.
In a conflicting account, the victim's husband, Aliyu Muhammad, alleged that the DPO removed his wife's hijab and ordered her out of the station and back into the crowd shortly before she was killed. He stated that the couple had been married for 14 years and had four children.
Commissioner of Police Rabiu Muhammad condemned the violence, stating that the command would not tolerate jungle justice or attacks on security personnel. He urged the public to report suspicious activities through official channels rather than taking the law into their own hands.
Following a comprehensive investigation, the 24 suspects were remanded in a correctional facility. The court has adjourned the matter until July 21, 2026, for further hearing. Police officials have vowed that all individuals found culpable in the attack will be prosecuted.
