By Yakubu Salisu
The gruesome killing of an Islamic female teacher, Malama Ummulkhairi Usman, in Maraban Jos, Kaduna State, by a mob has continued to flash through my mind every second since it occurred two days ago.
A mother who was mistaken for a child thief was mercilessly burnt to death by her own people after they overwhelmed the police, who had initially taken her into custody for further interrogation.
Different video clips of the incident are currently in circulation, but one thing that sends shivers down my spine is the sight of fellow women, young and old, participating in the attack on the police division, jumping and jubilating while the unimaginable act was carried out against their fellow woman.
Her death is not merely another crime statistic; it is a frightening reflection of a growing culture of mob justice that has become disturbingly common across parts of Northern Nigeria already bedeviled by insecurity.
What happened to Malama Ummulkhairi raises troubling questions about the apparent hunger for blood that seems to be taking root in some communities. How does a crowd gather so quickly to kill a fellow human being without first seeking the truth?
How do ordinary people watch a woman plead her innocence and still participate in or celebrate such brutality? I fear this is nothing less than a dangerous erosion of societal values, where fear, frustration, and lawlessness have combined to create an environment in which human life is increasingly devalued.
In many communities, rumours now spread faster than facts, and accusations are increasingly treated as evidence. A mere shout of “thief,” “kidnapper,” or “criminal” is often enough to trigger a deadly response from angry crowds, while the rule of law is pushed aside as emotion, suspicion, and vengeance take control.
According to her account, which was corroborated by others, Ummulkhairi had simply lost her way on June 21, 2026, and was asking some children in the area for directions to a school where a religious gathering was taking place. Yet fear and a false alarm became her death sentence.
I also saw a video of her children weeping, and I could not bring myself to imagine their pain. Or should I speak of the pain of the husband who ran to the scene only to find his lifeless wife already burning to ashes?
No! We must discourage jungle justice and educate citizens on the importance of due process. Every suspect deserves investigation and trial, not execution by an angry crowd.
While police authorities in the state have confirmed the arrest of over 100 suspects over the incident, we can only hope for justice for her and her family.
Yakubu Salisu can be reached via yaksman2478@gmail.com