Who was Ibrahim Mbaya, five things to know about sla!n UniJos student
Who was Ibrahim Mbaya, five things to know about slain UniJos student
The death of 25-year-old Ibrahim Mbaya, popularly known as “Ibee,” has become the focus of nationwide outrage after he allegedly died following an attack by a mob over accusations of stealing an iPhone 12 in Jos, Plateau State.
The Plateau State Police Command said Mbaya was brought unconscious to the Jos University Teaching Hospital on July 26 by some youths before he was confirmed dead on arrival.
Ibrahim Mbaya
Ibrahim Mbaya. Photo credit: Dan-Baba | X
According to the command on Monday,three suspects have been arrested,while efforts are ongoing to apprehend others allegedly linked to the incident.
The suspects
The suspects. Photo credit: Plateau command
The National Association of Nigerian Students has also condemned the killing, describing it as “heartbreaking” and calling for a thorough investigation.
Beyond the headlines, Mbaya was remembered by friends and followers as a young creative pursuing opportunities in modelling and fashion.
Here are five things to know about him:
1) He was popularly known as ‘Ibee’
While his full name was Ibrahim Pilasar Mbaya, many friends and followers knew him simply as “Ibee,” a nickname reflected across his social media pages.
2) He described himself as a baker and a model
In a resurfaced interview, Mbaya introduced himself as a baker and a model, reflecting his passion for both entrepreneurship and the fashion industry.
3) He recently emerged as a Top 30 pageant finalist
Just days before his death, organisers of Mr & Miss Glam Nigeria unveiled Mbaya as one of the competition’s top 30 finalists.
The youth-focused pageant celebrates fashion, culture, leadership and career development among young Nigerians. Two days before news of his death broke, the organisation shared a video of Mbaya completing one of his runway tasks.
Ibrahim Mbaya
Ibrahim Mbaya. Photo credit: Ibrahim | Instagram
4) His last Instagram post reflected a message of peace
Mbaya’s final Instagram post, shared on July 24, showed photos of him with the caption:
“A little sunshine, a little silence, a lot of peace.” The post, accompanied by hashtags related to Mr & Miss Glam Nigeria.
Ibrahim Mbaya
Last Instagram post. Photo credit: Screenshot
5) He was preparing to celebrate another birthday
According to information on his social media pages, Mbaya’s birthday was September 18.
Nigerians demand justice
Mbaya’s death has triggered widespread reactions on social media, with many condemning jungle justice and calling for those responsible to face the law.
On X “SozoTrades” questioned the motive behind the killing, writing, “Why all this killing for phone? Is the phone worth more than a life? Justice for Ibrahim.”
Another user, “MR_TRUST,” lamented that the situation escalated instead of being reported to the authorities, asking, “What happened to taking him to the police station? Now he’s dead.”
Commenting on Facebook, Goodhope Odinakachi wrote, “Even if he stole the phone, jungle justice is an offence.”
Allen Oscar criticised the resort to mob violence, saying, “Y’all complained about SARS… only to become worse than they were.”
Similarly, Gabriel Nwobodo urged respect for due process, writing, “Someone lynched his fellow based on accusation. Let the law deal with him.”
Meanwhile, investigations into Mbaya’s death are ongoing, with the Plateau State Police Command saying the three arrested suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department while efforts continue to track down others allegedly connected to the incident.
