The brutal killing of 16 travellers by a mob in Uromi, Edo State, has sent shockwaves across the nation. The victims, who were hunters from Rivers State, were mistakenly identified as kidnappers and lynched by the mob.
This horrific incident has sparked widespread condemnation, with President Bola Tinubu vowing that the perpetrators will face justice.
According to reports, the travellers were on their way from Elele, Rivers State, to Kano when they were attacked. The police have arrested 14 suspects in connection with the murder and have cautioned against reprisal attacks.
Investigations are ongoing to ensure that all those involved in the heinous crime are brought to justice.
The Edo State Police Command has also deployed a unit of Police Mobile Force personnel to the area to maintain law and order. Additionally, ten of the travellers were rescued by police operatives, with two sustaining injuries and receiving treatment.
This incident highlights the need for vigilance and the importance of verifying information before taking action. It also underscores the need for law enforcement agencies to be proactive in preventing such incidents and ensuring that justice is served.
The Edo State Police Command said, “In the course of investigations, fourteen (14) suspects have been arrested in connection with the crime, while an emergency meeting was convened with stakeholders and members of the community to address the situation.
When a “truck with registration number KKF 225 XA coming from Port Harcourt, conveying 25 travellers from Elele, a suburb of Rivers State, was accosted by some vigilante group members at Uromi, and some of the travelers who found in possession of locally made dane guns were arrested.
“While this was ongoing, some vigilante members raised an alarm of them being suspected kidnappers, which led some members and passersby in the community to attack and lynch sixteen (16) of the occupants while the truck conveying them was equally burnt.
“Police operatives attached to the Uromi Division got wind of the incident and swiftly stormed the scene where ten (10) of the travelers were rescued, two of whom sustained various degrees of injuries and were rushed to a hospital where they are currently positively responding to treatment.”
