The police in Edo State, South-south Nigeria, have arrested about 14 suspects in connection with the alleged lynching of at least 16 travellers in the state.
The victims, said to be hunters travelling from Rivers State to Kano State for Sallah, were allegedly attacked by vigilante members and armed youths who stopped their truck, dragged them out one by one, beat them, and then set them ablaze after being labelled as kidnappers.
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The incident reportedly occurred on Thursday on the section of the Uromi/Obajana Expressway in the Esan North-East local Government Area of Edo State.
Prominent Nigerians including former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and Amnesty International have condemned the tragedy, with President Bola Tinubu ordering security operatives to launch an immediate investigation into the incident.
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Arrest
Reacting to the issue, Moses Yamu, the police spokesperson in Edo State, stated that the arrested suspects found some locally made guns with the travellers, sparking suspicion that they were kidnappers.
According to a report by TheCable newspaper, Mr Yamu stated this in a statement on Friday.
He said the vigilante members raised the alarm, “claiming the travellers were suspected kidnappers.”
“In the course of investigations, 14 suspects have been arrested in connection with the crime. An emergency meeting was also convened with stakeholders and community members,” he explained.
Mr Yamu added that a unit of mobile police force and other tactical teams have been deployed to the area to stop any further disruption of law and order.
The statement quoted Betty Otimenyin, the police commissioner of the state, to have urged the groups to coexist peacefully and called on residents to remain calm and cooperate with the security operatives.
The commissioner said that any form of retaliation or violent gathering that could accelerate tensions in the area should be eschewed.
