•Okpebholo ‘came, saw and succeeded’
From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Edo State Governor, Lucky Monday Okpebholo’s journey to Kano State, on Monday, March 31, 2025 was timely and prompt. Undoubtedly, it helped in halting a potential reprisal on the indigenes of Edo State in Kano State.
By the time he arrived, the ancient city was charged with palpable tension and the metropolitan area, especially the residential areas of the non- indigenous communities, were enveloped in fear following the killing of 16 Kano-bound travelers in Uromi.
Okpebholo was accompanied by state officials, party chieftains and leaders of Hausa community in his state. He was joined at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) by Enogie of Benin in Kano State, Deacon Fred Ehigbe and Sarkin Igbo, Igwe Boniface Ibekwe, among others.
The representation by his host, Commissioner of Police, Director, Department of State Services and Brigade Commander, Nigerian Army, illustrated the high level significance of the occasion.
Okpebholo condemned the Uromi tragedy, saying that the incident was a personal loss to him given the huge support he had enjoyed from the Hausa community during his electioneering campaign: “It is like I was the one that was touched.
“Upon the receipt of the news at about 4.ooam, I could not wait to board an aircraft, but rushed to the scene as there was no time.
“I met my Hausa brothers. When I met them, it was a different ball game. They all dropped their anger and the next thing they could say was, ‘four plus four’.
“So, that is the level of the love we have and shared between us. They are for me, and I am for them. I am here to condole with the Government of Kano State and the people of Kano State. Indeed, it was a sad moment.”
He informed the people that already 14 people were arrested in connection with the incident, adding that the Inspector General of Police directed the DIG (CID) and Force Headquarters, Abuja to take over the investigation:
“I can assure you that Mr. President wasn’t happy at all. He didn’t waste time he made no mistake to direct the Service Chiefs and Inspector General of Police, to go after the killers of these people. I can assure you that justice will prevail.”
His host, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, appreciated the steps he took immediately he was notified of the incident and for taking time off his busy schedule to come to sympathise with the people of the state:
“It is a known fact that our people were coming from Port Harcourt, driving through a road in Edo State, when the unfortunate incident happened. They were stopped, maimed, many of them burnt to ashes, brutally murdered. The majority of them were from Kano.
“Many of them were apprehended, and they were taken to Abuja, where they were handed over to the security agencies for further investigation. Your Excellency, we appreciate you for that.
“Not only that. You made a promise to condole the families of those that departed. And you are here. The Kano people have their full trust in you, that justice will be done within the shortest possible time.”
Yusuf then made three demands: “On behalf of the families, on behalf of the good people of the state, we will want to see them physically paraded so that Nigerians and the families will see them to know that, yes, they were apprehended. This will go a long way in making the families and their own brothers happy. We appeal to the security agencies to please help.
“Parade them. Show them so that all these camera people (pointing to photo journalists present) will take photographs for the world to see the people that perpetrated that crime.”
He also demanded that the culprits be taken to court to stand trial for their crimes and reap from where they had sowed. And asked that the victims’ families be duly compensated in good time to enable them overcome their losses.
Yusuf said since the tragic incident, his administration has been making efforts to dissuade the people from reprisal: “Reprisal is not the solution to this because it affects innocent people. It affects even those that have been giving contributions to the development of our respective states.
“We have been communicating to the people and preaching the notion of peaceful coexistence. Even yesterday, during the Salah, we said it. We spoke about it. People should not take laws into their hands. People should learn to be law-abiding.
“If you have any grievance, go to the security agencies. They are meant for that. They are meant to protect you. They are meant to protect your properties. But taking law into your own hands is unconstitutional. And should be avoided.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us. God Almighty destined that we live together. Therefore, the issue of fighting one another, killing and maiming innocent people, does not even arise. We have to learn to be brothers’ keepers.
“We have to learn to live in harmony, at peace with one another. We cannot do without each other, whether we like it or not. We must be together.”
He stressed that the tragedy is a lesson to political, religious, traditional and business leaders: “All of us as leaders should continue doing whatever it takes to ensure the full protection of lives and properties of innocent Nigerians wherever they are. As leaders, we must come together to fight this unfortunate behaviour of some Nigerians.”
The later part of the condolence visit took the form of a two-and-a-half-hour drive to Toranke, a Fulani village where about four of the victims of the Uromi killing hailed from. The drive was slow owing to the bad road and the protest by some villagers.
Somehow, the villagers were sufficiently mobilised about the tragic incident. So, as the convoy of the governors meandered through the stretch of the dusty, dry road and racks of harvested grains, they were surprisingly greeted by hundreds of placard-carrying protesters who demanded justice and compensations.
The placards bore different inscriptions expressing anger and resentment. Uunters from Toranka carrying local guns, clubs and dry sticks, assembled at a school to hear from Okpebholo, who again condemned the tragedy and asked for understanding.
Emir of Rano, Kabiru Mohammed Inuwa, who is the traditional head of the affected emirate, re-echoed the demands for justice and compensation for the bereaved families.
By the time Okpebholo and his team departed MAKIA at 9.45 pm, tension had eased out a little, while some form of reconciliation was achieved.