The horrific killing of 16 travelers in Uromi, Edo State, by an enraged mob has been denounced by President Bola Tinubu and a few of the nation’s governors.
The governors joined in calling for justice for the victims as the president authorized a manhunt for the murderers.
According to information obtained by Edotoday on Saturday, the victims, who identified themselves as hunters, were being driven in a Dangote Cement truck when local security confronted them around 1:30 p.m. in the Udune Efandion village.
Dane firearms were allegedly found in the car after a search, which led to the mob attack. Our correspondents on X were able to collect a terrible video that showed the victims being lynched. The travelers were heard screaming and begging for their lives in the 29-second video as the crowd beat them unconscious and lit them on fire.
“Please, please, wayo, wayo,” one of the victims wailed.
Shockingly, some residents went about their activities, seemingly unbothered by the brutal scene unfolding before them.
An eyewitness, who identified himself simply as John, said the mob mistook the travellers for kidnappers.
He said, “After seeing the travellers with guns, the vigilantes raised the alarm, as people descended on them. How could they be carrying arms from wherever they were coming from? Are they hunters? What were they doing in a Dangote Cement truck with guns? I think the people were frustrated by frequent kidnaps in the area. However, they should have handed them over to the police.”
The gory video also showed a resident using a wheelbarrow to throw one of the victims into the raging fire. A female voice in the background was heard saying, “Eyah, he is crying,” as the violence continued.
Another male voice in the crowd made fun of the victims as a man wearing black jeans and a white T-shirt was observed leading the assault. Due to the delicate nature of the situation, a local who wished to remain anonymous criticized the police for their tardiness in getting to the site.
“If the police had arrived early enough, this tragedy could have been prevented. But by the time they arrived, only four people could be saved, and they were rushed to a hospital,” he stated.
The Edo State Police Command responded to the event by confirming that 14 individuals had been taken into custody. In a statement released on Friday, Moses Yamu, the command’s spokesperson, stated that an emergency meeting with community members and stakeholders was called to discuss the matter.
In order to prevent a breakdown of law and order, he said, a unit of the Police Mobile Force personnel along with other tactical teams had been dispatched in the region. Yamu issued a warning against any kind of retaliation or illegal gatherings that could increase tension.
Narrating what led to the mob attack, the police spokesman said, “The incident occurred when a truck, with registration number KKF 225 XA, coming from Port Harcourt, conveying 25 travellers from Elele, a suburb of Rivers State, was accosted by some vigilante group members at Uromi, and some of the travellers who were found in possession of locally-made dane guns were arrested.”
“While this was ongoing, some vigilante members raised the alarm of them being suspected kidnappers, which led some members and passersby in the community to attack and lynch 16 of the occupants, while the truck conveying them was equally burnt.”
“Police operatives attached to the Uromi division got wind of the incident and swiftly stormed the scene where 10 of the travellers were rescued, two of whom sustained varying degrees of injury and were rushed to a hospital, where they are currently positively responding to treatment.”
In a statement released Friday, President Tinubu ordered the police and other security forces to carry out prompt, in-depth investigations and prosecute the alleged offenders.
In addition to expressing astonishment at the heinous deed, the president offered the families of the dead his condolences and promised that the offenders will face consequences.
“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,” the statement read.
The Northern States Governors’ Forum also strongly denounced the travelers’ deaths. Muhammadu Yahaya, the governor of Gombe State and chairman of the Forum, called the attack a flagrant human rights violation and emphasized the need for a strong condemnation of extrajudicial brutality.
The NSGF chairman sent his sympathies to the families of the victims and everyone impacted by the unfortunate incident in a press release signed by Ismaila Misilli, Director-General, Press Affairs, Gombe Government House.
Yahaya said, “We are deeply disturbed by the loss of innocent lives and the horrific manner in which these individuals were attacked.”
“This appalling act undermines the rule of law and the very fabric of our society. It is imperative that the relevant authorities conduct a full and thorough investigation into this senseless act. The perpetrators must be identified, arrested, and brought to justice swiftly.”
He reaffirmed that all Nigerians, irrespective of where they live, ought to be able to travel without fear of intimidation, violence, or harassment.
Yahaya appealed for calm and encouraged the government and law enforcement to act quickly to stop similar incidents from happening again.
