The Edo State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of 14 suspects in connection with the brutal killing of 16 travellers and the subsequent burning of their truck in Udune Efandion, along the Uromi/Obajana Expressway. The incident occurred on Thursday, sparking widespread condemnation and calls for justice.
CSP Moses Yamu, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, announced the arrests in a statement released on Friday, condemning the killings as a “grave violation of human rights and the rule of law.”
He assured the public that the Command is committed to ensuring justice for the victims and that a thorough investigation is underway.
According to Yamu, a truck carrying 25 travellers from Elele, Rivers State, was intercepted by a vigilante group in Uromi. Suspicion arose when some travellers were found to be in possession of locally made Dane guns. The situation escalated when some vigilante members allegedly raised an alarm, claiming the travellers were suspected kidnappers, leading to a mob attack by community members and passers-by.
“While this was ongoing, some vigilante members raised an alarm, claiming the travellers were suspected kidnappers. This led some community members and passers-by to attack and lynch 16 occupants. The truck conveying them was also set on fire,” Yamu explained.
Police operatives from the Uromi Division responded to the scene, rescuing ten travellers, two of whom sustained injuries and are currently receiving treatment in hospital.
“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,” Yamu stated.
In response to the incident, a unit of Police Mobile Force personnel, along with other tactical teams, has been deployed to the area to prevent any further breakdown of law and order.
Edo State Commissioner of Police Betty Otimenyin has urged peaceful coexistence among groups, calling on residents to remain calm and cooperate with the police. She also cautioned against any form of reprisal attacks or unlawful gatherings that could escalate tensions.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has strongly condemned the mob killing, calling it a horrific act and urging law enforcement to ensure all perpetrators are promptly identified, arrested, and prosecuted.
Rep. Akin Rotimi, spokesman of the House of Representatives, said the House acknowledged the directives of President Bola Tinubu and Gov. Monday Okpebholo of Edo, instructing security agencies to conduct an urgent investigation into the killings.
Speaker of the House, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, described the killings as “barbaric, cowardly, and unacceptable,” emphasizing the urgent need for a national conversation on mob violence, extrajudicial killings, and ethnic profiling. He also called for strengthened intelligence gathering and enhanced response mechanisms by security agencies to prevent future occurrences of such tragedies.
