• Okpebholo confirms 14 suspects taken to Abuja for prosecution
• Body of Assembly Speakers call for increased community policing
• IPOB urges Igbo to prepare for self-defence
• Arewa group warns against inciting North-South tensions
Amid heightened fears of reprisal and condemnation of the killing of 16 travellers, mostly Hausa hunters, over false accusations of kidnapping in Uromi Delta State on Friday, tension went high yesterday in Bunkure town, Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano State as hundreds of relatives of the Uromi killing staged a protest over the gruesome death of their sons in Edo.
This is as the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in the state have urged the government of Edo State to pay compensation to the families of the travellers. The governor and the NBA spoke yesterday on separate occasions, both condemning the killing of the 16 travellers.
Governor Yusuf spoke while hosting his Edo counterpart, Monday Okpebholo, who paid a condolence visit to the state over the killings. Yusuf called for the prosecution of the suspects and urged the state government to disclose their identities and compensate the families of the deceased.
Also, the NBA Kano, in a statement by its chairperson, Usman Fari, described the incident as “a heinous act that must not go unpunished.” The Kano branch of the NBA commended the residents of Kano for maintaining peace in the face of provocation.
The angry protesters, including local hunters, occupied Bunkure Road carrying placards to show their grievances over the massacre of the 16 hunters who were returning from routine hunting scout in Rivers State.
The demonstration that almost barricaded the major road was still on while Okpebholo was on his way to Torankawa Village to sympathise with relatives of the victims, accompanied by Yusuf. Okpebholo expressed deep regret over the gruesome murder of the hunters and disclosed the arrest of 14 suspects involved in the dastardly act.
“It was a painful development, and we are sad about the unfortunate incident. Immediately I was informed about the development, I had to return home by road; I couldn’t wait for the scheduled flight.
“I was at Uromi to pay my condolences to the Hausa community because these are people that campaign and voted for me during the election. I was even surprised when I got there they were raising their four plus four banners. That is to tell you how we live as families. It is a sad moment for us and we can only pray that Allah grant them eternal rest. I assure you that justice will prevail. We have arrested 14 people and the IGP has directed investigation,” Okpebholo said.
usuf applauded the urgent intervention of President Bola Tinubu and urged the police to parade the culprits in the eyes of the public in the interest of justice. Yusuf insisted that though reprisal attack on the murder will never bring back the departed souls, he, however, believed bringing the culprits to justice in the full glare of the public will further douse the rising tension.
“Kano people are peaceful and most hospitable in Nigeria. We ensure harmonious relationship with non-natives of the land. Nigeria belongs to all of us and God has destined that we would live together. We must learn to be our brother’s keepers and whether we like it or not, we must live together,” Yusuf added.
While the police were yet to confirm the report as at press time, there were reports that some suspected herders in the wee hours of Monday attacked some communities in Ovia North-East Local Government Area, leaving unconfirmed number of residents dead, while houses were set ablaze.
Meanwhile, the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged Okpebholo to stop the blame game and take responsibility as the state Chief Security Officer. Making its position known in a statement, the Chairman, Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, Dr Anthony Aziegbemi, said the governor is the Chief Security Officer and is, at all times, fully and primarily responsible for the protection of lives and property within his jurisdiction.
Aziegbemi said the governor’s desperate attempt to use the suspended State Commander of the Edo State Security Corps, CP Friday Ibadin (rtd), as a fall guy for the lynching and violent killing of the travellers in Uromi, was shameful and unacceptable.
The PDP added that instead of taking full responsibility, bearing the brunt and taking deliberate steps to address the security challenges head-on, Okpebholo is once again shifting blame, this time onto the head of the vigilante group, Ibadin who he personally engaged and has now gotten the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest him.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, also condemned the murder of the 16 travellers, describing the act as senseless, unacceptable, and a threat to national unity.
In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, the Senate President, expressed deep sadness and concern over the gruesome killings, calling for a thorough investigation and swift justice.
“This senseless act of violence has no place in our society. I urge the relevant authorities to ensure that those responsible for this barbaric crime are identified, prosecuted, and held accountable,” he said.
Akpabio also emphasised the need for peace, unity, and collective efforts in preventing violence and insecurity nationwide. “We must not allow such acts of violence to divide us or derail our commitment to building a better Nigeria,” he added.
In another reaction, the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria (CSSLN) also condemned the lynching. In a statement signed by the Chairman of CSSLN and Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, the speakers described the killing as barbaric and horrific.
The speakers decried the act of mob violence as a gross violation of human rights and a serious threat to peace and security. Ogundoyin said: “The CSSLN strongly condemns the horrific lynching of 16 northern travellers who were, on transit, accused of possessing local firearms. These individuals were tragically killed by a mob in Uromi, Edo State, on Friday, March 28, 2025. The actions of the so-called vigilante group members responsible are barbaric and unjustifiable. Such extrajudicial killings undermine the rule of law and contribute to the erosion of societal values.” He however commended the prompt response of the Edo State government and security agencies in addressing the situation.
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has expressed deep sadness over the gruesome murder of the Northerners. In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Dr Ezechi Chukwu, Ohanaeze Ndigbo strongly denounced such a dastardly act in all ramifications and urged the law enforcement agencies to embark on a thorough investigation and manhunt, to enable them fish out the perpetrators of the unwarranted act.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, however, deplored the situation making rounds in the social media whereby some prejudiced anti-Igbo elements especially from the northern part of the country accusing Igbos in Edo State as the masterminds of the heinous massacre.
It wondered how Igbos could have had such an organised criminal group in faraway Edo State, outside their land, to enhance the perpetration of such a monstrous bloodbath of that magnitude.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo admonished those treacherous fellows who are baselessly accusing Ndigbo in Edo of the killing to desist from such incitements, saying it is antithetical to national unity and social conviviality as a people.
This is as the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has urged Igbos to prepare for self-defense. IPOB warned the Hausa community to steer clear of ethnic tensions that could be detrimental to them.
Emma Powerful, the spokesman for IPOB, alleged that some Arewa groups are inciting violent assaults on Igbos and Christians in the North due to the killing in Edo State.
A statement by Powerful said: “IPOB seeks to alert the Arewa group in Northern Nigeria, highlighting that its leaders and certain individuals are inciting violent assaults on the Igbos and Christians. They must halt their intended assaults immediately. We have learned that they have organised attacks against Ndigbo in the North due to the killing of the alleged Hausa hunters in Edo State.
“Conversely, native Hausas must exercise caution to avoid succumbing to the ethnic conflicts orchestrated by the same Fulanis who have been harming them and others. We have been reliably informed by our sources that certain individuals are already posing threats to Ndigbo in the North. We have received information that Fulani criminals have killed an innocent man, Uche Abagana, in Kofa Ruwa, Kano, due to the incident in Edo State. Ndigbo did not harm Hausa hunters traveling from Edo State to the North.
“Over the years, Ndigbo in the North have faced the worst of any ethnic conflicts in Northern Nigeria. We urge the Indigenous Northerners to exercise caution. The Fulanis should refrain from provoking Indigenous Hausas to attack Ndigbo in the North over the regrettable mob incident that occurred in Edo State.
“IPOB urges Ndigbo in Northern Nigeria to maintain heightened security awareness, adhere to the law, and be prepared to protect themselves against potential threats. Furthermore, Ndigbo in Biafra Land must also remain vigilant. Everyone must stay alert and prepared for self-defense since the Nigerian government and its tribally biased security forces prioritise the lives of the Fulanis over those of indigenous Nigerians, particularly the Hausas, both now and historically.
“If the victims of the Edo mob action were indeed local Hausa hunters, the Hausas ought to hold the Fulani terrorists and kidnappers responsible for their loss, as they have turned them into targets of others’ retribution in Edo State. The Indigenous Hausa community is friendly and has no issues with other ethnic groups. However, the terrorist actions and abductions carried out by the Fulanis have made them adversaries of other ethnic communities, as many people struggle to differentiate between Hausas and Fulanis due to their linguistic similarities.
Despite the regrettable lynching incident, the Hausas need to be cautious not to let the Fulanis drag them into the depths of Nigeria’s ethnic conflict. Indigenous Hausas must remain vigilant, as their Fulani neighbors would not show them mercy in the event of ethnic strife in Nigeria.”
However, the Arewa Think Tank, a northern advocacy group, has cautioned against any attempts to use the tragic incident to sow discord between the North and South.
Speaking at a special prayer session in Kaduna, held in honour of President Bola Tinubu’s 73rd birthday, the group’s convener, Muhammad Yakubu, emphasised the need for national unity. “We must not allow this tragedy to be used as a tool to incite regional hatred. Those who thrive on division will not succeed.”
