By Adeniyi Yusuf
President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, and others have called for a full-scale manhunt following the brutal killing of 16 travellers in the Uromi area of Edo State.
It gathered that the men, a group of Hausa hunters, were travelling from Port Harcourt to Kano and passed through Edo. However, they were detained by local residents who accused them of being kidnappers.
Several videos of the brutal killings emerged online on Friday morning.
In one of the videos circulating online, some men lay motionless on the ground, seemingly lifeless, with a tire placed on one of them. Another man, his clothes soaked in blood, was kicked toward the others. He appeared to have been severely beaten and was struggling to breathe.
This same video showed other victims lying in a pool of blood, their backs positioned against each other. A man in a jean jacket, red top, and blue shorts was repeatedly struck with a stick.
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About a minute into the footage, at least five of the victims were seen gathered together. In the background, a woman was heard shouting, “Die, die.”
Another man, dressed in yellow, was dragged out from beneath a gutter and struck on the head with a large wooden object. His head began to bleed. Shortly after, residents set fire to tires and continued beating the victims, even as they burned. A voice in the background was heard saying, “Finish them.”
In a separate video, one man who had already been burned was visible. A wheelbarrow was used to dump another body into the fire, and the victim, still alive, cried out for help. “Help me,” he shouted, but no one came to his aid.
Four of the victims survived the attack with injuries and were taken to His Grace Hospital in Uromi for treatment.
In response to the horrific attack, President Bola Tinubu condemned the murder of travelling hunters intercepted by local vigilantes in the Uromi community of Esan North Local Government of Edo State.
The President, who expressed shock at the dastardly act in a statement by his Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, directed Police and other security agencies to conduct swift and thorough investigations and punish the suspected culprits.
President Tinubu commiserated with the families of the affected victims and assured them that criminals would not be allowed to shed the blood of innocent Nigerians.
The President noted that jungle justice has no place in Nigeria, and all Nigerians have the freedom to move freely in any part of the country.
President Tinubu commended the Edo State governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and community leaders in Uromi for their swift response to avert the escalation of tension.
Speaking on the situation, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed deep sorrow over the reported killing of some hunters in Edo State, calling for a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident.
In a statement shared on his official Facebook page, Atiku expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and stressed the importance of seeking justice.
He condemned the act of jungle justice, highlighting that the protection of innocent lives must always be a top priority.
“This unfortunate incident demands a thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation to uncover and ensure that those responsible are brought to book,” he stated.
Atiku urged authorities to take swift and decisive action to prevent the recurrence of such extrajudicial killings.
He further stated that justice must not only be served but also be seen to be done in order to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s security institutions.
His remarks come amid growing outrage among Northerners following the release of gruesome footage showing the killings of 16 hunters en route to Kano to celebrate Eid.
Similarly, former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, along with Amnesty International, has called for an investigation into the alleged lynching of at least 16 travelers in Edo State.
Mr Kwankwaso, in a statement he posted on his Facebook page, said he was “concerned by the harrowing display of mob injustice on 16 travellers from Northern Nigeria in Edo State.”
Mr Kwankwaso said the tragedy, which occurred on Thursday in the Udune Efandion community of Uromi, “is another sad reminder of the barbarity of jungle justice.”
Also, the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum condemned the killing travellers.
In a statement issued by the AYCF President General, Shetima Yerima, in Kaduna on Friday, the forum described the incident as a “horrifying display of mob injustice” fueled by false accusations and ignorance.
The AYCF demanded immediate and thorough investigations into the tragedy, calling for swift and decisive action against those responsible.
The AYCF also urged the Hausa community to remain calm and peaceful, resisting the temptation for retaliation and instead seeking justice through lawful means.
The statement reads, “We stand united in our outrage and condemnation of the horrific events that transpired on Thursday in the Udune Efandion community of Uromi, Edo State, where 16 innocent travellers from Northern Nigeria tragically lost their lives due to a horrifying display of mob injustice.”
According to Shettima, the forum stands ready to support the community in advocating for their rights and ensuring that such an atrocity is never repeated.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and call upon the relevant authorities to act swiftly in bringing the perpetrators of this mob injustice to justice. We must work together to build a society where dialogue and understanding prevail over violence and ignorance.”
Sharing his thought, a human rights activist and convener of #RevolutionNow movement, Omoyele Sowore, faulted the brutal mob attack.
He called for prosecution of the perpetrators.
Sowore said, “Yesterday, some northerners returning home for Sallah celebrations were reportedly stopped by vigilantes in Edo State and, without warning and due diligence, profiled and announced to be deadly ‘Fulani herdsmen’ and kidnappers.”
