According to Reports, some of the survivors of the brutal mob killing of 16 northern travelers in Uromi, Edo State, have recounted what ha before and during the horrendous incident.
The victims, all hunters returning home to Kano for the Sallah celebrations, were mistaken for kidnappers and lynched in a horrifying act of jungle justice.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu condemned the senseless killings, directing security operatives to track down and prosecute those responsible. “Jungle justice has no place in Nigeria,” the president declared, assuring that those involved would be brought to book. The Northern Governors Forum, Amnesty International, and several prominent figures have also decried the killings as a gross violation of human rights.
The hunters were traveling from Port Harcourt when their truck was intercepted by local vigilantes in Uromi. A search of their belongings revealed legally licensed Dane guns, a standard hunting tool. However, what should have been a routine check turned into a death sentence. Alarmed by the sight of the weapons, the vigilantes raised an outcry, triggering a mob that swiftly turned violent.
Eyewitness accounts and viral footage captured the gruesome scene. The victims were tied to used tires, doused in petrol, and set ablaze in a chilling act of barbarism. The Edo State Police Command has since arrested 14 suspects in connection with the killings.
One of the survivors, Dayyabu Yahya, recounted the horrifying ordeal: “Our journey was peaceful until we reached Uromi. Vigilantes stopped us and ordered the driver to step out. When he refused, they beat him. They searched our belongings but found nothing suspicious-only some licensed Dane guns.”
Another survivor, Mustafa Ali Kassim, described how they were attacked while stepping out of the vehicle. “The vigilantes stepped back and allowed the locals to beat us. Realizing we might be killed, I ran for my life.” He found refuge with kind-hearted Hausa people who helped him reach safety.
Torankawa village in Kano State, home to the victims, has been plunged into grief. Families are left in agony, uncertain whether their loved ones are among the dead or missing. A village elder revealed that about 30 hunters had embarked on this annual expedition, but not all had returned.
Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo labeled the killings “barbaric and unacceptable,” vowing that justice would be served. Security reinforcements have been deployed to prevent further unrest.
From former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to the Deputy Senate President and Amnesty International, voices across Nigeria have condemned the attack, urging swift justice. The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum and the Arewa Consultative Forum have also demanded a full investigation and punishment for those involved.
As the nation reels from this tragedy, one message rings clear: mob violence must end. The cries for justice must not be ignored, lest another innocent life is lost to the flames of vigilante brutality.
