16 Northern Travellers Burnt To Death In Edo After They Were Labelled Kidnappers
No less than 16 travellers from Northern Nigeria were brutally killed in the Udune Efandion community of Uromi, Edo State after being labelled as kidnappers
The incident occurred on Thursday when the victims, reported to be primarily Hausa hunters, were en route from Port Harcourt to Kano for the Sallah festivities.
The victims were intercepted around 1:30pm by members of the Edo State Security Corps and local vigilantes who raised an alarm that the travellers were kidnappers.
A security analyst and counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, who confirmed the incident on his X handle (formerly Twitter) on Friday, wrote, “The sight of their hunting guns. Dane guns, commonly used in the North, were misinterpreted as a threat. Instead of contacting the police, or other security agencies, local vigilantes raised a false alarm, which ignited a wave of chaos and violence.
“The reaction was swift and brutal. Local youths, incited by the unfounded accusations, viciously attacked the travellers, resulting in the tragic loss of 16 lives on the spot. In a grotesque act of barbarism, the mob set the truck ablaze, leaving some bodies trapped inside the vehicle.
“While some people were taken out on wheelbarrow and thrown inside fire. This gruesome scene only points to the sickening reality of mob justice that has taken root in certain communities.”
He explained that responsive action from security operatives came too late for the victims.
“By the time they arrived on the scene following a distress call, the damage had been done. Four survivors were rescued and rushed to His Grace Hospital in Uromi for urgent medical treatment.”
He noted that authorities had confirmed the arrest of five suspects.
Zagazola added that the Hausa community in Uromi held an emergency peace meeting to address the situation and aimed to prevent any further reprisals.
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
