Edo Massacre: Governors Take One Action Against Possible Revenge As 16 Slain Hunters Get Buried

• Emotions ran high as 19 lynched hunters were buried in Uromi, Edo State, after being accused of kidnapping and burned alive by a mob
• Governor Monday Okpebholo and the Ojuromi of Uromi denounced the act, vowing justice and urging security agencies to prevent reprisals
• Amid fears of retaliation, northern leaders reassured citizens, tightened security, and urged peaceful coexistence ahead of Eid celebrations

Benin, Edo state - Emotions ran high in Uromi, Edo state, on Saturday, March 29, as the remains of the hunters who were lynched by an irate mob were laid to rest.

The victims, accused of being kidnappers, were burnt alive on Friday, March 28, after local security personnel intercepted them and discovered firearms in their possession.

Mourners, particularly members of the Hausa community, gathered at the burial site to pay their last respects.

Legit.ng reported that earlier, a widely circulated video captured the solemn moment as the corpses, wrapped in white shrouds, were placed in a communal grave.

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One of the mourners, who filmed the event, narrated in Hausa,

“We are gathered to pray for our brothers who were unjustly killed. May Allah grant them mercy and accept their souls.”

An imam led the prayers before the burial commenced. The eyewitness further revealed that the number of fatalities had risen to 19, stating,

“Yesterday, we buried three, and today, we received 16 more bodies.” Due to the number of victims, they were interred in a single grave.

A grief-stricken mother clung to the edge of the burial site, wailing,

“My son was not a criminal! He was just unfortunate to be there at that moment.” Similarly, a father held onto a photograph of his slain son, visibly devastated by the loss.

Edo monarch, governor condemn the killings

The Ojuromi of Uromi, Anselm Aidenojie II, alongside Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, visited the Hausa community during the burial, as reported by The Punch.

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The traditional ruler denounced the gruesome act, emphasizing that law enforcement agencies were actively working to prevent any retaliatory attacks.

“This kind of tragedy should never happen again in our land or anywhere else,” Aidenojie stated.

He assured that those responsible for the killings would be identified and brought to justice.

The Edo state Police Command also confirmed the arrest of 14 individuals connected to the lynching. Police spokesperson Moses Yamu stressed that investigations were ongoing to apprehend all perpetrators.

Northern Governors urge calm, heighten security measures

Amid concerns over possible retaliatory attacks, governors from northern states have called for restraint.

The Director-General (Press Affairs) to the Northern Governors Forum (NGF) Chairman, Ismaila Misili, reassured the public that no tensions were brewing in the North over the incident.

“Northern governors, under the leadership of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, have already urged for calm and peaceful coexistence. Various state governments have also been engaging key stakeholders to maintain peace, particularly with the upcoming Eid celebrations,” Misili said.

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He added that religious leaders were actively encouraging unity and discouraging any form of violence that could destabilize the region.

Security agencies placed on high alert

In Nasarawa state, authorities have heightened security across all 13 local government areas.

Governor Abdullahi Sule’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Peter Ahemba, emphasized that law enforcement officers were fully prepared to prevent any form of unrest, Vanguard reported.

“The governor has made it clear that peace must be upheld at all costs. We have no tolerance for any violent reaction to the Edo killings,” Ahemba stated.

He warned that any individual caught instigating violence would face the full wrath of the law.

Meanwhile, the Borno State Government has stated that it is closely monitoring the situation.

Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, mentioned that the state was awaiting further guidance from the Northern Governors’ Forum before taking any additional measures.

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For now, the Borno state Police Command has intensified security operations in preparation for the upcoming Sallah festivities.

According to command spokesperson ASP Nahum Daso, law enforcement deployments have been strategically positioned to ensure safety and maintain order.

Edo: Survivors recount how vigilantes, mob killed northern hunters

Previously, Legit.ng reported that two survivors of a brutal attack on a group of northern hunters in Edo state have shared their harrowing ordeal, recounting how they were stopped, assaulted, and accused of being kidnappers, leading to killings of many by vigilantes and locals.

The incident, which occurred on Friday in Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government Area, has sparked nationwide outrage.

Source: Legit.ng