We’ve been abandoned, survivor, families of victims speak

Salim Umar Ibrahim (Kano) & Usman A. BelloFamilies of the 16 Kano State-born hunters, who were killed at Uromi, Edo State about three months ago, have alleged that they have not received the compensation promised by both state governments.

The hunters were travelling to their home state from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, when they were reportedly intercepted and lynched by vigilantes on the Uromi-Obajana Expressway in the Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State on March 28 on suspicion that they there were kidnappers.

The police had said it arrested 14 suspects in connection with the incident.

SPONSOR AD

The victims were from Torankawa in Bunkure, Kibiya, Garko and Rano Local Government Areas of Kano State.

In April, Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State met with a delegation from Kano led by Deputy Governor Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo in Benin and announced the formation of a joint federal and state committee to investigate the incident.

Governor Okpebholo later pledged to compensate the families of the slain hunters.

Okpebholo made the pledge when, in company with his Kano State counterpart, paid a condolence visit to the deceased’s families at Torankawa in Kano State.

“We are making arrangements to provide compensation to all the victims affected by this incident,” he said.

“I also commend the good people of Kano State and the entire North for not taking the law into their own hands and carrying out reprisal attacks,” he said.

“We are making arrangements to provide compensation to all the families affected by this incident,” he had said.

In the same vein, Governor Yusuf had promised that compensation would be paid to the families.

He also stated that the Kano State Government would not relent in pursuing justice for the slain victims.

“We will also ensure full compensation for all the affected victims. I pledged cash and food items to the families of victims,” he said.

Kano, Edo govts mum

When contacted for a reaction to the claim that the Kano State Government had not fulfilled its promise to compensate the victims’ families, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Garba Waiya, who also served on the committee investigating the killings, declined comment.

Also, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor of Edo State, Fred Itua and the state’s Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Paul Ohonbamu, did not answer several calls to their mobile telephone lines by our correspondent. They also did not reply text messages sent to them.

The chairman of the Hausa community in Edo State. Alhaji Badamasi Saleh, when approached for comment, told Daily Trust that he did not know whether or not the state government had paid compensation to the families of the victims.

Compensation promises not yet fulfilled – Families

Despite the promises, families of the victims who spoke to Daily Trust said they were yet to receive any compensation.

In Torankawa village, one of the worst-hit communities, our correspondent spoke to some survivors and families of the victims.

One of the survivors, 45-year-old Ibrahim Isa, now lives with physical and emotional scars, described a life of misery since his return.

“I can barely feed myself. My children are too young to support me. I was promised medical attention, but I paid over N40,000 from my own pocket and still didn’t get adequate treatment,” he said.

Ibrahim said despite the assurances of compensation by the Kano State Government, nothing had been done.

“They said they came with money and food, but we haven’t seen anything.

“We went to the local government. The chairman was in Saudi Arabia, and his vice said they were still working on it. That was over a week ago,” he added.

Zahura Haruna, who lost his husband to the incident, said: “Life has been unbearable. I have become a burden to my in-laws. My husband was the sole breadwinner. We now depend on neighbours to eat.”

Malam Bala Dutse, from Kibiya Local Government Area, lost his son, Amadu, to the incident.  Speaking to our reporter, he said: “They should at least speak to us and explain the compensation plan.”

Hauwa’u Isa, another widow, said she was losing hope. “They said justice would be served. But each passing day makes that promise look more like a political statement than a commitment,” she stated

The vice chairman of Kibiya Local Government Area, Nasiru Adam Abdulaziz, reaffirmed the council’s resolve to seek justice.

According to him, “these families deserve answers. We trust the government will act as promised.”