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The families and the members of the 16 hunters of the State of Kano who were lynched in Uromi, in the state of Edo, threatened to avenge the death of their loved ones if the federal government cannot stop and pursue those who are behind the gruesome law.
The victims, who came mainly from Toranke in the area of the local government of Bunkure di Kano, were traveling from Port Harcourt, in the state of the rivers, to Kano for the celebration of the Sallah when they were intercepted and killed by local vigilantes for suspicion of being kidnapped.
The accident, which aroused indignation at national level, deepened the ethnic and regional tensions, with the leader of the community, families in mourning and hunting companions in Kano insisting on the fact that only Swift Justice would have avoided further disorders.
Speaking of development, a leader of the community and a hunter colleague, Alhaji Musa Dogo, he warned that if the government had not led the authors to book, the hunters would have been forced to take the situation in hand.
“We cannot afford this has not answered. The hunters who were killed were our brothers. We trained together, we fought the criminals together and protected our communities together.
“If the government does not arrest and publicly pursue responsible, we will take things in our hands,” he said.
Having echoed the feelings of Dogo, another hunter, Bala Danburan, said: “We know how to sneak into Uromi and take revenge if justice has not served. This is not a threat; it is a promise. We are hunters, not cowards”.
The group also asked that the case was transferred to the state of Kano for criminal shares, referring to a previous case involving a suspicion, Yunusa Yellow, who was transferred to the state of Bayelsa on request.
“It is equity. We want the case to bring here where we can follow it closely. The Edo government has to collaborate if they want peace,” added Dogo.
Anger and despair were palpable among the Bunkure residents. A hunter, Alhaji Usman Bako, condemned the murders and said that the accident reflected the negligence of the government of local security volunteers who risk their lives by fighting crime.
“If the government continues to ignore us and does not punish those behind this massacre, we may have no other choice than to withdraw from all joint operations,” Bako warned.
Speaking also, Malam Sani Umar, who lost his younger brother, Yahaya Urar, said the tragedy destroyed his family.
“Yahaya left four children and a wife. He was a courageous man who believed in justice. He was now unjustly killed and those who did it are walking free,” he said.
By fighting tears, Hafet Ibrahim, mother of the late Nasiru, asked not only justice but also compensation.
“Nasiru was our backbone. He assured his brothers left at school. Now he has gone. The killers must be punished according to the Islamic rites and the government must compensate for us,” he said.
Although the governors of the States of Kano and Edo had paid visits to condolences to the affected community, the families insist on the fact that condolences alone are not sufficient.
“We need real action. We want arrests, judicial proceedings and punishments. Otherwise, the government is indirectly encouraging more murders,” said Umar.
In the state of Sokoto, the fear of reprisal protests triggered panic on Friday, leading to the closure of the shops in the areas dominated by Igbo including Bello Way, Emir Yahya, Sahara and Aliyu Jodi.
A trader, Chindudu, said the owners of shops decided to close to prevent any attack.
He said: “We heard of possible protests after Friday prayers. We didn’t want to take risks.
Another trader in the Sahara, who spoke anonymously, referred to the past experiences during the protests of the late Deborah Samuel, saying that the looters took advantage of the chaos.
“The last time there was a protest, we were looted. This time, we are proactive,” he said.
Reacting, the manager of the public reports of the state police of Sokoto, Ahmed Rufai, assured the residents of their security, stating that the officers had been lined up throughout the city to maintain the order.
Starting from Friday, Goodwill Junction along Old Ilushi Road in Uromi, the lynching site, remained deserted. According to reports, the residents abandoned their homes and activities for fear of arrest or reprisals.
A resident, John, said: “The entire area is closed. Everyone is afraid. I heard that the case has been moved to Abuja and some suspicions have already been brought there”.
As he condemned the murders, John indicated the ongoing security challenges in the forests of Edo, where the kidnappers and murderers presumably took root.
“The government must show the same decision in breaking those criminals,” he said.
The head secretary’s head of the Governor of the State Edo, Fred Itua, said that the governor on Monday Okpehbolo was working to deal with hereditary security problems. He observed that the compensation for the families of the victims would be announced once aimed.
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