The Plateau State Police Command has arrested several female students following the circulation of a viral video allegedly showing them assaulting another female student in Pankshin Local Government Area of the state.
The Command’s spokesperson, SP Alfred Alabo, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday in Jos.
According to Alabo, Commissioner of Police Ayodeji Faniyan immediately directed the Area Commander in Pankshin to investigate the incident and arrest everyone found to be involved.
He said the directive had been carried out, with the arrested students expected to be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department after preliminary investigations.
The police spokesperson added that the suspects would be prosecuted after the investigation is concluded.
Alabo condemned the alleged assault, stressing that jungle justice and other forms of violence are criminal offences.
He also warned that individuals who record and share violent incidents on social media could face additional charges, including offences relating to cybercrime.
He explained that committing an act of violence could result in multiple offences, noting that documenting and publishing such acts could also have legal consequences.
Alabo urged young people and other residents to avoid taking the law into their own hands, regardless of the circumstances surrounding a dispute.
He advised anyone with a grievance to report the matter to the police or another authorised institution capable of addressing it through lawful means.
“Learn to report to a third party that has the authority to hear your matter and give you the justice that you deserve,” he said.
The police further appealed to members of the public to provide timely and credible information to security agencies to enable them to intervene quickly and prevent disputes from escalating.
Alabo reiterated that the arrested students would be transferred to the State CID and subsequently charged in court upon completion of investigations.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the arrested girls are students of the Federal University of Education in Pankshin.
