Ibrahim Mbaya. Photo credit: Simply Amaka | X

By Golok Nanmwa, Jos

Four suspects arrested in connection with the gruesome killing of a University of Jos (UNIJOS) Political Science student, Ibrahim Mbaya, have admitted participating in the mob assault that led to his death, saying they beat him in a bid to recover a missing mobile phone allegedly stolen by the deceased.

The suspects made the confessions on Tuesday while being paraded by the Plateau State Police Command in Jos.

Mbaya, popularly known as “Ibee,” was allegedly tortured to death on Sunday at an off-campus apartment behind the City of David area along Ring Road in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State after he was accused of stealing an iPhone.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage across Plateau State and beyond, with a viral video showing the deceased being repeatedly flogged with planks and canes before he eventually died from the injuries sustained during the assault.

Speaking during the parade, one of the suspects, Emmanuel Newyear, 30, admitted hitting the deceased with a wooden plank, insisting they assaulted him to force him to disclose the whereabouts of the missing phone.

According to him, “On July 26, my cousin came to my place and informed me that his phone was missing. He said they had called the deceased and he came to the apartment.

“When we questioned him, he told us the phone was at Naraguta Hostel beside a tree. We went there and searched but did not find it.

He later told us it was at Rayfield, so we also went there without finding it. When we returned to the hostel, many people had already gathered.

“I first slapped him inside the room before bringing him outside. I was the one who hit him with a plank three times. I beat him because I wanted him to tell me where the phone was. I know him through my cousin.”

Another suspect, Teslor Joshua, also confessed to taking part in the attack, saying he assisted in restraining the victim while others tied him with a rope.

“I participated by holding his hands while they tied him with rope,” he said.

The owner of the missing phone, Rinji Daniel, also narrated how the incident began.

He explained that after attending an event together, the deceased told him he intended to spend the night in his room.

“We came back from an event that day and Ibee said he would sleep in my room. Later, he said he wanted to step outside to answer a phone call but did not return.

“My brother and I later slept while my phone and my brother’s power bank were charging. I woke up around 4 a.m. and discovered that he was no longer in the room.

“I checked for my phone and realised it was missing. My brother’s power bank was also gone. I searched outside but couldn’t find him. I called his number several times but he didn’t answer.

When I used another person’s phone, he picked the call and immediately disconnected it.

“I then reported the matter to my cousin, and that was how the whole incident started,” Daniel said.

The killing of Mbaya has attracted widespread condemnation from students, civil society groups and residents, who described the mob action as barbaric and called for justice for the deceased.

The Plateau State Police Command said investigations into the incident is ongoing and assured that all the suspects would be charged to court to face prosecution.

The command also warned members of the public against taking the law into their own hands, stressing that anyone suspected of committing a crime should be handed over to law enforcement agencies for investigation and prosecution in accordance with the law.