Badamasi Bello, Jadetimes Staff
B. Bello is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Nigerian News
Benin City, Edo State – A horrific case of mob violence has shocked the nation after 16 northern travellers were brutally lynched in Uromi, Edo State, while transiting from Port Harcourt to Kano for Sallah celebrations. The victims, identified as hunters carrying legally-owned Dane guns, were mistaken for kidnappers by vigilantes and burned alive – a tragedy that has drawn condemnation from President Bola Tinubu, state governors, and international rights groups.
How the Tragedy Unfolded
According to police reports, the incident occurred on March 27, 2025, when local vigilantes stopped a truck (KKF 225 XA) carrying 25 travellers near Uromi. During a search, the vigilantes discovered traditional hunting weapons and allegedly incited a mob that subsequently tortured and burned 16 of the passengers.
Eyewitness accounts suggest the victims – predominantly hunters returning home for Eid-el-Fitr – pleaded their innocence to no avail. Graphic videos of the lynching have since gone viral, sparking nationwide revulsion.
National Leaders React
President Tinubu condemned the "heinous killings," ordering security agencies to:
- Launch a manhunt for perpetrators
- Conduct thorough investigations
- Ensure justice for victims' families
The Northern Governors Forum and Northern Senators Forum described the attack as ethnic profiling gone deadly. Senator Abdulaziz Yar'Adua noted with dismay that "innocent Nigerians were stereotyped as Fulani kidnappers and murdered despicably."
Amnesty International called for accountability, warning that "jungle justice reflects systemic failures in Nigeria's security architecture."
Edo Government's Response
Governor Monday Okpebholo, through his Chief Security Officer SP Solomon Osaghale:
✔ Confirmed 14 suspects in police custody
✔ Vowed to prosecute all involved
✔ Deployed extra security to Uromi
✔ Met with Hausa community leaders
"Nobody has the right to take another's life," Osaghale stated at the scene. "This barbarism contradicts Edo's values of coexistence."
Underlying Tensions Exposed
The lynching highlights:
🔴 Growing vigilante violence amid security failures
🔴 Dangerous ethnic profiling in crime suspicion
🔴 Weak gun regulation awareness (Dane guns are legal for hunters)
Police spokesperson CSP Moses Yamu confirmed the arrests but declined further comments as investigations continue.
What Next?
As families prepare to bury their loved ones, national attention remains fixed on whether:
1. Prosecutions will deter future mob attacks
2. Security reforms will address root causes
3. Inter-ethnic reconciliation efforts will emerge
For now, Edo State – and Nigeria – grapple with yet another preventable tragedy born of suspicion and impunity.
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