Former vice president Atiku Abubakar and the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Musa Kwankwaso, have condemned the killing of hunters in Edo State.
The killing, which reportedly happened on Thursday in the Uromi part of the state, claimed the lives of 16 hunters said to be from the northern part of Nigeria.
The hunters who were caught with different types of guns were reportedly moving from Rivers State through Edo State to the North for the Muslim holiday.
According to initial reports by eyewitnesses and voice notes from the videos in circulation, they were misjudged to be kidnappers and killed.
Rivers and Edo states are epicentres of kidnapping in the south-south part of the country. Lack of security action often prompts residents to take the law into their own hands in what has come to be called jungle justice, especially against kidnappers.
The killing has elicited a strong reaction, with Atiku and Kwankwaso in separate statements on Friday calling for a thorough investigation for justice to be served.
Atiku expressed deep sadness at what he called the “tragic killing of some hunters in Edo State. My heartfelt condolences go out to their families and loved ones.”
He said, “This unfortunate incident demands a thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation to uncover and ensure that those responsible are brought to book.”
He added, “The protection of innocent lives must remain paramount, and I urge the authorities to act swiftly and decisively to prevent a recurrence of jungle justice.”
Justice, he said, must not only be done but must be seen to be done to restore public confidence in our security institutions.
Kwankwaso, on his part, said he’s “concerned by the harrowing display of mob injustice on 16 travellers from Northern Nigeria in Edo State.”
He said, “This tragedy, which unfolded on March 28, 2025, in the Udune Efandion community of Uromi, is another sad reminder of the barbarity of jungle justice.”
He stressed, “It is common knowledge that people from all parts of the country should be able to travel without facing any form of harassment or intimidation.”
He urged “the concerned authorities to launch a full-scale investigation into this sad incident and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
“While praying for the repose of the victims, I extend my condolences to their families, the Kano State Government, and other affected states.”
Atiku, Kwankwaso Condemn Killing Of Hunters In Edo State is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
Source: The Whistler
