President Bola Tinubu has condemned the brutal killing of 16 hunters of northern extraction by a mob in Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, vowing that the perpetrators would face justice.
The victims, who were travelling in a truck from Elele, Rivers State, to Kano, were reportedly intercepted on Thursday by a local vigilante group on the Uromi/Obajana expressway.
Some of the travellers were allegedly found in possession of locally made dane guns, sparking suspicion among the vigilantes.
Eyewitnesses said the vigilante members raised an alarm, accusing the travellers of being kidnappers.
This led to a violent attack in which 16 of the travellers were lynched, and their truck set ablaze. Ten others were rescued, while two who sustained injuries were taken to a hospital for treatment.
Reacting to the incident, President Tinubu, through his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, described the killings as barbaric and unacceptable. He ordered security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure that those responsible were prosecuted.
“Jungle justice has no place in Nigeria. Every citizen has the right to move freely across all parts of the country without fear,” Tinubu stated, extending his condolences to the families of the victims.
Similarly, Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, visited Uromi on Friday, expressing dismay over the killings and condemning the vigilantes’ actions.
“There is no excuse for anyone to take the law into their hands without recourse to statutory law enforcement agencies. Justice must be served,” Okpebholo said in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua.
The governor directed the Edo State Police Command to launch a full-scale investigation, work with local communities, and ensure that all those involved are apprehended.
In response to the incident, the Edo Police Command confirmed the arrest of 14 suspects linked to the attack and arson.
According to the state’s police spokesperson, Moses Yamu, the command has deployed a mobile police unit and tactical teams to Uromi to prevent further unrest.
“An emergency meeting with community leaders and stakeholders has also been convened to prevent reprisal attacks. We urge residents to remain calm and cooperate with security operatives,” Yamu stated.
Edo State Commissioner of Police, Betty Otimenyin, also appealed for peace and warned against any retaliatory violence that could further escalate tensions in the region.
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