• Kano govt, IPOB, others condemn killing
From Desmond Mgboh, Kano, Okwe Obi, Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja, Noah Ebije, Kaduna and Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri,
Condemnations have continued to trail the killing of 16 hunters in Uromi in Edo State who were said to be travelling from Port Harcourt to Kano.
The Kano State government said it was deeply touched by the incident and expressed its deepest sympathy for the families and friends of the victims.
At the same time, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has totally condemned what it called the extra-judicial killing of the innocent hunters. It tasked the Edo State and the Federal governments to strongly condemn the act and among other things, pay compensation to the victims’ families within 14 days, while urging the people to remain calm.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) too has condemned the act, attributing it to mistrust among the ethnic groups in the country.
Two other groups: Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development (PAPSD) and Global Peace Foundation Nigeria (GPFN) have flayed the gruesome incident, describing it as “brutal, senseless and inhuman killing,” and called on the Federal Government to investigate the tragedy.
A statement signed by the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim, Abdullahi Waiya, said: “The brutal killing, which claimed the lives of at least 16 individuals, is a heinous act that must be met with an unwavering response from our security and judicial institutions.
“Preliminary reports indicate that the victims – predominantly hunters journeying from Rivers State to Kano to join their loved ones in celebrating Eid were ambushed by a vigilante group and armed youths.
“This unconscionable act of mob violence is not only a personal tragedy for the affected families but also a stark indicator of the disturbing rise of extrajudicial measures in Nigeria. It undermines the sanctity of human life and erodes public trust in the state’s ability to uphold law and order.
“In light of these events, we call for an immediate, thorough, and transparent investigation into the incident. All individuals found to be complicit in this atrocity must be brought to justice, including any law enforcement personnel who may have neglected their duty.
It called on “President Bola Tinubu and Governor Monday Okpebholo to denounce this act unequivocally and to demonstrate a steadfast commitment to justice by ensuring that the perpetrators are swiftly prosecuted through a fair and impartial trial.”
It also assured that “the Kano State government is committed to supporting all efforts aimed at strengthening our security framework. This includes better equipping our police forces to respond promptly and effectively, and ensuring that victims and their families have access to justice and redress.”
In a statement in Abuja yesterday, NEF’s spokesperson, Professor Abubakar, Jika Jiddere, described the killing as a total violation of human rights.
He urged the families of the victims and the good people of northern Nigeria to remain calm and patient for the matter to be addressed responsibly with the necessary agencies and authorities of the government.
The statement read: “We received the shocking, sad, and deeply disturbing news of the barbaric, extra-judicial, and cowardly killing of innocent northern hunters who were returning home to celebrate the end of Ramadan and Eid Kabir Sallah festival with their families in Uromi, Edo State. This heinous act is totally unacceptable, and we condemn it in the strongest terms.
“The North has tolerated numerous such animalistic and cannibalistic acts of recklessness from some southern parts of Nigeria in the past. This must come to an end. The North will take stringent action in response to this inhumane attack on its peace-loving people.”
He said “the NEF is demanding the following immediate actions from the authorities in Edo State and the Federal Government: The swift recovery of the bodies of the victims and their dignified transfer to their families for an honorable and befitting burial in accordance with their respective faiths. The arrest and trial of all individuals responsible for the attack and the brutal killings of the innocent travelers. The NEF demands a public prosecution of the perpetrators and those that aided the crime to ensure full transparency and accountability.”
NEF also demanded “due payment of compensation to the families of the victims, in line with the prescribed standards of their respective faiths.
“An unreserved apology from the people and authorities of Edo State, with a commitment to ensuring that such barbaric behaviour never occurs again.
“An unreserved apology from the Edo State Government to the North for this heinous attack on its people. The punishment of the perpetrators must be witnessed by the public to serve as a deterrent to any such future acts of violence.”
NEF went on to issue a deadline for compliance to its demand, saying: “The NEF demands that the Edo State Government and the Federal Government take concrete and visible steps to fulfill these demands within fourteen (14) days from the date of this release. Failure to do so will compel the North to take all necessary actions to seek justice for her people and the North.
“The Federal Government must ensure that justice is served to the victims and their families to preserve peace, stability, and the peaceful coexistence of all Nigerians.
“Finally, the NEF calls on the families of the victims and the good people of northern Nigeria to remain calm and patient as we pursue this matter responsibly with the necessary agencies and authorities of the government.”
In a release IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, said Hausas are not the problem of the country, noting that they too are also facing annihilation in the hands of the Fulani.
“The jungle justice mated to some of the purported Hausa hunters transiting through Edo State is regrettable as the indigenous Hausas are equally facing ethnic annihilation in the hands of the Fulani invaders.
“The global family of IPOB wants our southern brethren to understand that Hausas are never the problems to the indigenous people in Nigeria. Indigenous Hausas people are harmless, hardworking and accommodating.
“Indigenous Hausas are being forced to flee their ancestral communities by the marauding Fulani terrorists and bandits. In that regard, IPOB is advising the southern brethren not to attack Hausas in the region but to treat them as victims of oppression.
“People should try and distinguish between Hausas and Fulani ethnic groups.
“The barbaric attack and murder by the civilians in Edo State must have been as a result of ongoing bitterness and frustration from unaddressed Fulani terrorists and kidnapping activities that have been going on in Edo State,” Powerful said.
He, however, said it was rather ignorant of anyone foraging in forests nowadays in the name of hunting at a time Nigerians particularly in the South are protesting against kidnappers.
“Many people have been victims of kidnapping daily. To make matters worse, the Nigerian government and its security forces fane ignorance of the kidnapping activities of terrorists and bandits in the South.
“We, therefore, advise the southern brethren to avoid ethnic profiling and attacks to all Northerners. All the Northerners are not harmful. But those terrorists and kidnappers inside the bushes are a threat to all the indigenous people in Nigeria.
IPOB cautioned the police against raiding and indiscriminately arresting people because of the ugly Edo incident, and urged the people not to take laws into their own hands.
“Nigeria’s security is in a fragile state. There is a serious ethnic mistrust in Nigeria and any ethnic spark may leave Nigeria in a very sorry state,” it said.
Similarly, PAPSD Executive Director, Sani, Abdullahi Shinkafi, in a statement yesterday recalled that the innocent citizens were stopped by the vigilantes and immediately set ablaze along with the Dangote truck they were travelling in.
He said: “PAPSD condemns this man’s inhumanity to man. It is heartless, ungodly, barbaric and savagery.
“Our hearts bled as we saw fellow compatriots burnt alive by the vigilantes in the video circulated on social media for merely traveling home to celebrate Sallah with their families.
“Jungle justice has no place in all civilised societies. Nigeria is not a banana republic. The country is governed by the rule of law. Section 41(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, guarantees citizens’ right to freedom of movement.
“The Constitution also provides the right to fair hearing in a court of competent jurisdiction if an offence is allegedly committed. There is no place for a mob action let alone setting fellow citizens ablaze and watching them die. Whither our common humanity? We must redefine our values as a people.
“We urge security agencies to ensure the protection of citizens anywhere they are, particularly at festive periods that require traveling.”
Also in a statement, the country Director, GPFN, Dr. Joseph John Hayab, said the incident highlighted the urgent need to reinforce societal values, uphold the rule of law, and foster peaceful coexistence among all Nigerians.
“The Global Peace Foundation Nigeria (GPFN) expresses deep concern over the tragic killing of 16 travelers in Uromi, Edo State, in an apparent act of mob lynching. This disturbing incident highlights the urgent need to reinforce societal values, uphold the rule of law, and foster peaceful coexistence among all Nigerians.”
The group “reiterates the importance of unity and mutual respect across all ethnic and religious divides. Every Nigerian, irrespective of background, deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Acts of violence and jungle justice not only erode the moral fabric of our society but also hinder national progress and stability.”
It called on “the government to urgently address the lingering insecurity that has turned every Nigerian into a suspect, fueling unnecessary fear and distrust among citizens. The failure to decisively tackle insecurity has contributed to the rise in mob actions and jungle justice, which threaten the nation’s social cohesion and legal order.”
GPFN urged “Nigerians to refrain from taking the law into their own hands. Instead, citizens should report suspicious activities to appropriate authorities and engage in constructive dialogue to resolve disputes peacefully.”