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Tears flowed on Saturday in Uromi, Edo State, as the remains of the hunters who were lynched by a mob were interred.
Members of the Hausa community converged on the community cemetery to pay their last respects to the victims, who were burnt to death on Friday after being accused of being kidnappers.
Our correspondents had earlier reported that the men were travelling in a Dangote Cement truck when they were intercepted around 1.30pm by local security guards.
After the guards searched the truck and found dane guns, they raised the alarm, which triggered the mob attack.
“What we currently have on the ground is Sallah preparation. We have deployed personnel in strategic positions. We are also conducting a show of force, which involves patrolling to ensure visibility. This will help prevent any incidents that could lead to unrest, particularly those with religious undertones,” Daso said.
Politician places bounty on suspects
On social media, there was palpable anger among the Arewa on Saturday as some individuals also took to X, sharing images of some of the suspected attackers and placing N1m bounty on them.
A Social Democratic Party member based in Abuja, Ibrahim Sanusi, was among those spearheading the movement.
While posting on his verified X handle, he wrote, “N1million reward for anyone who can identify these criminals and provide information leading to their arrest. If you have any information, please come forward. #JusticeForUromi16.”
As of the time of filing this report, over 1,500 tweeps had retweeted the post, while it had gathered 3,600 likes and 124 quotes.
However, the Coalition of Northern Groups and the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum condemned the resort to self-help, warning that it could escalate tension across the country.
Speaking with Frontline Reporters, the CNG National Coordinator, Jamilu Charanchi, acknowledged that while the killing of innocent hunters was reprehensible, law enforcement agencies must be allowed to handle the matter.
“All we demand is for the police to expedite investigations so that the real perpetrators can be identified and brought to justice. This will help reduce tensions in the North,” he stated.
Charanchi further argued that no individual or group had the right to place a bounty on anyone, stressing that the law must take its course.
Similarly, the AYCF President, Yerima Shettima, cautioned against any form of retaliation, stressing that justice must be pursued within the framework of the law.
Northerners petition Tinubu, IGP, others
Meanwhile, Sanusi and over 100 others have launched a petition on Change.org, addressed to President Bola Tinubu and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and Edo State Governor, Okpebholo.
As of 7pm on Saturday, no fewer than 273 people had signed the petition, demanding justice for the victims.
The petitioners stated, “We, the undersigned, formally express our outrage and demand immediate action regarding the brutal extrajudicial killings of 16 innocent Northern Muslim travellers in Udune Efandion, Uromi, Edo State, on Thursday.
“This horrific act of mob violence, fuelled by false accusations and ethnic profiling, represents a gross violation of human rights and a failure of law enforcement to uphold justice and protect citizens.”
The petitioners further outlined six key demands, calling for a comprehensive and independent investigation into the massacre, ensuring that all perpetrators, including those who incited the mob, were identified and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
They also demanded accountability from security personnel and Edo State authorities for their failure to prevent and respond effectively to the attack, insisting that those found negligent in their duty must face appropriate disciplinary measures.
Our guns are licensed — Survivors
Recounting their ordeal, one of the survivors, Dayahu Yahaya, from Bukunre Local Government Area of Kano State, said he was on the front seat when the vigilantes accosted their truck and ordered the driver to step down.
He said, “I was sitting in the front seat. They asked our driver to come down from the vehicle, but he refused, and they started beating him with canes while I kept quiet. They also ordered those on top of the vehicle to get down. When I asked what had happened, they ignored me. As they came down, the vigilantes began beating them as well.”
According to him, the vigilantes accused them of being Boko Haram members and kidnappers after finding locally-made guns in their possession.
“If we were Boko Haram, would we be moving around freely and travelling that early in the morning as we always do? Our guns are licensed, and we have the papers to prove it,” he added.
According to him, there were 27 of them in the truck, but only four escaped unhurt. Two were hospitalised, while he lost count of how many were killed.
Another survivor, identified simply as Mustapha from Rimi LGA of Katsina State, said he narrowly escaped death.
“We are in the hunting business and have never had any problems. We were on our way home for Sallah when vigilante members stopped us at Uromi.
“They forced us to get down from our vehicle and started beating us. Some of us ran when we realised they were going to kill us. Luckily for me, I ran into our people, the Hausa community, and they mobilised okada fare for me to reach the Hausa Emir in the town,” Mustapha recounted.
He said it was the vigilante members who handed them over to the irate mob before he managed to escape.
“The vigilantes handed us over to the townspeople, and some of us started running. The people searched our vehicle and found our hunting materials, including charms and locally made hunting guns, which we use for protection,” he explained.
Reps, Falana, others demand justice
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has called on security agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Reacting to the incident in a statement issued on Saturday by its spokesman, Akin Rotimi, the House described the killing as a grave violation of human rights and the rule of law.
The statement also quoted the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, as labelling the killings as “barbaric, cowardly, and unacceptable,” stressing that “such acts of brutality have no place in a society that upholds the sanctity of life—a fundamental principle deeply rooted in both Islamic and Christian teachings.”
Abbas also called for restraint, urging Nigerians to avoid actions capable of escalating tensions.
He emphasised the need for collective efforts by security agencies, community leaders, and citizens to prevent such tragic incidents from recurring.
Similarly, a former Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, also condemned the killing, describing it as “irresponsible and a clear show of human inhumanity to humans in Nigeria.”
Pantami, in a post on his X handle on Saturday, said injustice anywhere was a threat to justice everywhere, calling on security agencies to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Chairman of the Alliance on COVID-19 and Beyond, Femi Falana, urged the Edo State Government and the Nigeria Police to expedite the investigation and prosecution of suspects arrested in connection with the killings of the hunters.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the human rights lawyer condemned the murderous act and called on the Edo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to ensure swift justice for the offenders.
The renowned lawyer noted that over 500 unarmed individuals had fallen victim to mob justice in the past decade, stressing that mere condemnation of the travellers’ killing was insufficient.
Also, the Northern Senators Forum on Saturday condemned the murder of the travelling hunters.
In a statement issued in Abuja by the Chairman of the Forum, Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, the lawmakers said, “These individuals, who were travelling to the northern part of Nigeria, were tragically stereotyped as Fulani kidnappers and brutally murdered in a despicable manner.
“We strongly condemn this heinous act, which is a clear violation of the fundamental human rights of the victims. We urge the Edo State Government to take immediate action to identify and prosecute the perpetrators of this gruesome murder.”
Sultan-led JNI, Hausa community react
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III-led Jama’atu Nasril Islam, also condemned the gruesome murder of the 16 travellers.
In a statement issued by the Secretary-General of JNI, Prof Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, in Kaduna on Saturday, the organisation expressed its sadness over the incident.
The JNI’s scribe also called on the Federal Government to take concrete actions to address the growing insecurity in the country rather than just issuing condemnations.
The Hausa community in Jos, Plateau State, equally condemned the killings, with community leaders expressing disappointment and agitation over the incident.
Alhaji Sabiu Ibrahim, a prominent Hausa leader, who spoke with Sunday PUNCH in Jos on Saturday, revealed that the community was disturbed by the gruesome pictures of the victims circulating on social media.
“We are not happy with the killings, and our northern leaders have also condemned the manner in which those northerners were killed. We stand by that condemnation, and we believe that innocent people being killed while travelling should not be swept under the carpet,” Sabiu said.
Additional reports by Hussaini Ibrahim, Collins Agwam, Ahmed Amshi, Isah Ojo, Faith Maji, Animasahun Salman, Tunde Oyekola, Uche Okere, Taiwo Bankole
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2025-03-28