When Ibrahim Mbaya, a 25-year-old University of Jos graduate, decided to spend the night at his friend’s place last Saturday, he did not know that decision would trigger a chain of devastating occurrences that would culminate in his eventual death.
Mbaya, who is also a model and popularly known as “Ibee”, met his end after he was gruesomely tortured to death by a gang of blood-baying mob who accused him of phone theft.
The incident occurred on Sunday at an off-campus apartment behind the City of David area, along Ring Road in Jos. In a video of the incident, which has since gone viral, a group of young men was seen bludgeoning the suspect with planks and later subjected him to different forms of heinous punishment that led to his death.
The next morning, his friend reported that an iPhone was missing and accused Mbaya of taking it, as they were the only two people in the room. Although Ibrahim first left, he later returned after he was asked to come back and explain himself.
It is gathered that Mbaya had left early in the morning on that day after the sleepover the previous night, but his friend called him to tell him a phone had gone missing. He was told to return and explain himself, which he did.
No sooner had he returned to his friend’s place as he was asked to, than he was viciously attacked by his friend and several other young men who pummelled and beat him mercilessly to get him to confess to stealing the phone.
After Mbaya became unconscious and unresponsive from the bone-chilling and abominable physical assault he was subjected to, the mob reportedly called a nurse to check his pulse and breathing; the nurse confirmed him dead. Nemesis caught up with the mob after they took Maya’s remains to the Emergency unit university of Jos Teaching Hospital, trying to make the case look like an emergency. It was at this point that the police were called and some of the men were arrested.
Below are some disturbing pictures and video of Mbaya being brutalised and tortured
A former union leader of the University, who confirmed the tragic incident, said Mbaya, who was still processing an outstanding academic issue, had attended a social event on campus before deciding to spend the night at a friend’s residence in Ring Road because it was too late to return to his home in Rayfield.
He disclosed that the following morning, his friends claimed an iPhone had gone missing and insisted that since they were the only occupants of the room, he was the prime suspect and proceeded to beat him to death.
Before his tragic passing, Mbaya, a passionate model and baker, was currently down to the top 30 for a pageantry he was contesting for. He was a son of a pastor. It is also gathered that the phone Mbaya was alleged to have stolen has since been found, prompting many to question the real motive of his friend who accused him of taking the phone. Some people close to Mbaya opined that his death in the hands of those he called friends is because they are jealous of the relative success he has achieved in his modelling career; others claimed his effeminate character and behaviour made him a target of persecution by those who thought he was gay
Police arrest three suspects
At least three persons have been arrested in connection with the beating and killing of the victim.
Spokesperson of the Plateau state police command, SP Alabo Alfred, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
According to him, the suspects are currently at the state Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
The statement reads: “On 26th July, 2026, at about 11:20pm, the Command received a report at the Lamingo Police Division through a Good Samaritan from the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), informing the Police that some youths had brought an unconscious man to the hospital under suspicious circumstances.
“Upon receipt of the report, Police operatives immediately mobilised to the hospital, where the victim was identified as one Ibrahim Mbaya, male, aged 25 years, of Rayfield, Jos. Unfortunately, he was confirmed dead on arrival by the medical doctor on duty. His remains have been deposited at the hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
“Having received this report, our detectives immediately opened an investigation into the matter, and the following suspects were arrested: one Rinji Daniel Fwanji, male, 25 years, Emmanuel Newyear, male, 30 years, and Nensemka Fwanji, male, 22 years.
“Further investigation revealed that one of the suspects, Emmanuel Newyear, was captured in a viral video using a large wooden plank to assault the deceased victim. He has also been identified in photographs obtained during the investigation.
“In the course of interviewing the suspects, they revealed that the victim was suspected to have stolen an iPhone 12 and rather than reporting the matter to law enforcement agencies, the suspects took the law into their own hands, attacked the deceased and beat him to a point of unconsciousness, “ he added.
The command, however, warned residents against jungle justice, emphasising that Nigeria’s Administration of Criminal Justice System provides lawful procedures for investigating and prosecuting criminal offences, and every suspect is entitled to due process under the law
