Colleagues and relatives of the 16 victims of the Uromi Killings in Edo State, by a mob, have sent a strong message to the residents of Uromi and the general public, stating that they would revenge the deaths of their brothers if the government fails to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of the crime.
The victims of the Uromi killings were traveling from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to Kano for the Sallah celebration when some a vigilante group stopped and lynched them, believing them to be kidnappers and linking them to Fulani herdsmen on discovering weapons on the travellers.
The incident generated outrage across the country as most of the victims were hunters who hailed from Toranke in Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano State.
Family and relatives of the Uromi killings in an interview stated that only justice will make up for the death of their brothers.
Alhaji Musa Dogo, a hunter and community leader from Toranke, stated that the government needs must hold the perpetrators of the Uromi killings accountable.
He said, “We cannot allow this to go unanswered. The hunters that were killed were our brothers. We trained together, fought criminals together, and protected our communities together. If the government does not arrest and publicly prosecute those responsible, we will take matters into our own hands. We know how to track down those who commit evil, and we will not hesitate if justice is not served,”
Another local,Bala Danburan, who sat with him also stated that “We know how to sneak into Uromi and take revenge ourselves if justice is not served. This is not a threat; it is a promise. We have buried too many of our own, and we cannot continue like this. We are hunters, not cowards. If the government refuses to act, we will do what is necessary.”
Citing a previous instance in which the Kano State Government turned over a suspect, Yunusa Yellow, to the Bayelsa State Government over an alleged kidnapping, the hunters also demanded that the case be moved to a Kano State court.
“This is not just about us. If they could request for a case to be handled in their state, why can’t we demand the same? This is a matter of fairness. We want the case brought here, where we can follow it closely and ensure that it is not swept under the carpet. The Edo government must cooperate if they want peace,” Dogo added.
Alhaji Usman Bako, a hunter and Bunkure native, voiced his rage over the 16 hunters’ deaths.
He claimed that on their way back to the north for the Sallah holiday, the hunters were ambushed. He further condemned the government for failing to protect the victims of the Uromi killings other hunters and other local security forces who put their lives in danger to prevent kidnapping and banditry.
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