MORE condemnation yesterday trailed last Thursday killing of 16 travelling hunters by vigilance group members in Uromi, Edo State.
Various northern groups, state governments, lawmakers, among others, in separate statements frowned at the incident which they described as barbaric and cowardly.
The victims were reportedly returning home from Rivers State to celebrate the end of Ramadan and Eid Kabir with their families when they were attacked.
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF), yesterday, described the killings as “barbaric, extra-judicial, and cowardly,” calling for urgent action to address the situation.
The spokesperson, Professor Abubakar Jika Jiddere, in a statement said: “The North has tolerated numerous such animalistic and cannibalistic acts of recklessness from some Southern part of Nigeria in the past. This must come to an end.
“The North will take stringent action in response to this inhumane attack on its peace-loving people. Consequently, the NEF hereby demands the following immediate actions from the authorities in Edo State and the Federal Government.
“The swift recovery of the bodies of the victims and their dignified transfer to their families for an honorable and befitting burial in accordance with their respective faiths. The arrest and trial of all individuals responsible for the attack and the brutal killings of the innocent travellers”.
The forum also demanded a public prosecution of the perpetrators and those that aided the crime to ensure full transparency and accountability.
He add; “The due payment of compensation to the families of the victims, in line with the prescribed standards of their respective faiths. An unreserved apology from the people and authorities of Edo State, with a commitment to ensuring that such barbaric behavior never occurs again.
“An unreserved apology from the Edo State Government to the North for this heinous attack on its people. The punishment of the perpetrators must be witnessed by the public to serve as a deterrent to any such future acts of violence.
“The NEF demands that the Edo State Government and the Federal Government take concrete and visible steps to fulfill these demands within fourteen (14) days from the date of this release. Failure to do so will compel the North to take all necessary actions to seek justice for her people and the North.
“The Federal Government must ensure that justice is served to the victims and their families to preserve peace, stability, and the peaceful coexistence of all Nigerians.”
The NEF urged Northern communities to remain calm and patient while it pursues the matter through the appropriate government agencies.
Also condemning the killings, the apex Islamic body in Northern Nigeria, Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), asked the Federal Government to immediately arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.
The JNI in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Prof. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, urged the Federal Government to rise up to its primary responsibility of protecting and securing citizens “irrespective of their ethnicity or religion to go beyond the tired clichés of condemnation and appeals for calm on security failures. Nigerians are desperately yearning for concrete actions against all forms of brigands and criminalities.”
The statement reads: “To put the record straight, JNI condemns killings of innocent souls wherever they happen and whoever is involved. JNI also condemns the generalization of criminals as representatives of the whole, thus leading to unjust stereotyping and hate campaign. We condemn all criminals, whoever they are and wherever they come from. A criminal should be treated as a criminal regardless of his/her ethnicity and or religious affiliation.”
It, however, appealed that, “the Muslim community, as well as the people of Kano State should in the name of Allah, the Most High, not engage in any reprisal attack. We are in the month of Ramadan and after it would be a festive period. Therefore, security men should be vigil and intelligence gathering should be enhanced and intensified against any form of reprisal attack. We should remain calm and pray for the deceased. The Kano State Government, as well as security agencies should also be on the alert.
“Manhunt and subsequent arrest of all the perpetrators of the Edo Carnage should be diligently launched by the relevant security agencies. The Edo State Government should also follow up the prosecution to logical conclusion, culprits be served death sentences, so as to serve as deterrence.
“We also expect the federal as well as Edo State Governments, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Muslim Lawyers Association (MULAN), and well-meaning civil societies and organisations to seek for redress of the victims through the courts of law, because justice delayed is justice denied.
“Finally, while we continue to express our sincere condolences to all the victims of the brutal murder in Edo state, we are calling on the Nigerian Governors, relevant security agencies and non-governmental organisations to synergize with a view to finding a lasting solution to these repeated and senseless killings in Nigeria,” JNI said.”
Kano State Government, in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Mr Ibrahim Waiya, in Kano yesterday described the incident as a heinous act that should be met with an unwavering response from security and judicial institutions.
The statement said that all “individuals found complicit in the atrocity should be brought to justice, including law enforcement personnel who may have neglected their duty.”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Edo State chapter, yesterday strongly condemned the gruesome murder of the hunters. It also described as barbaric, the burning of the truck the hunters were travelling in by the mob.
The main opposition party in Edo, through the Chairman of its Caretaker Committee, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, expressed displeasure over the activities of the newly-reorganised state vigilance operatives of the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
It said: “Having suffered repeated killings, abductions, and rape of their women, children, and men in the past few months, the residents of Edo State have become paranoid, due to the lack of intervention by Okpebholo and the security apparatus, and out of frustration, have now resorted to extra-judicial killings.