Tears flowed freely yesterday in Uromi, Edo State, as members of the Hausa community gathered to bury 16 hunters who were lynched by a mob on Thursday after being mistakenly identified as kidnappers.
The solemn burial ceremony, attended by the Ojuromi of Uromi, Anselm Aidenojie II, and Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, marked a tragic end to an incident that has sparked nationwide outrage and concern over inter-ethnic relations.
According to eyewitness accounts, the victims were travelling in a Dangote Cement truck when they were intercepted by local security guards who discovered dane guns in their possession. This discovery triggered a mob action that resulted in the hunters being burnt to death.
“My son was not a kidnapper! He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time!” sobbed one mother at the graveside, according to security analyst Zagazola Makama who documented the burial.
Meanwhile, northern governors have intensified efforts to prevent possible reprisals across the region. The Director-General of Press Affairs to the Northern Governors’ Forum Chairman, Ismaila Misili, assured that there is no tension in the North over the incident.
“Northern governors, through their Chairman and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, had already issued a statement calling for calm and restraint,” Misili stated, adding that individual governors have also engaged with stakeholders to ensure peace during the Eid el-Fitr celebrations.
The Nasarawa State Government has placed security agencies on red alert across all 13 local government areas, while the Borno State Police Command has stepped up security patrols for the Sallah celebration.
In a disturbing development, some individuals have taken to social media offering a bounty of N1 million for information leading to the arrest of alleged perpetrators. However, the Coalition of Northern Groups and the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum have condemned this resort to self-help, warning it could escalate tensions.
One of the survivors, Dayahu Yahaya from Kano State, recounted their ordeal: “Our guns are licensed, and we have the papers to prove it. If we were Boko Haram, would we be moving around freely and travelling that early in the morning as we always do?”
The House of Representatives, through Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, has described the killings as “barbaric, cowardly, and unacceptable,” while calling for restraint and urging Nigerians to avoid actions capable of escalating tensions.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana has called on the Edo State Government and the Nigeria Police to expedite the investigation and prosecution of the 14 suspects already arrested in connection with the killings.
The Sultan of Sokoto-led Jama’atu Nasril Islam has also condemned the murders, calling on the Federal Government to take concrete actions to address the growing insecurity in the country rather than just issuing condemnations.
As investigations continue, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of mob justice and the importance of proper law enforcement procedures in a diverse society like Nigeria.
