The dusty roads of Torankawa village in Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano State are shrouded in mourning. Families huddle together, anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones?some confirmed dead, others still missing. A hunting expedition meant to be routine turned into a nightmare, leaving 16 men brutally murdered in Uromi, Edo State.

For those who survived, the trauma is still raw. According to WeekendTrust, Dayyabu Yahya, one of the fortunate few, recounts how he and four others narrowly escaped. ?Our journey was peaceful from Port Harcourt until we reached Uromi, where trouble began. Vigilantes stopped us. I was seated in the front seat. They ordered our driver to step out of the vehicle, but he refused. In response, they flogged him. They also ordered the other passengers to get down, beating us before grouping us together.

?They inspected our belongings but found nothing suspicious?only some licensed Dane guns, which hunters use. There were about 27 passengers in the vehicle. I can?t say how many of us are missing, but I know that two passengers were hospitalised.?

Another survivor, Mustafa Ali Kassim, recalls the terrifying ordeal: ?The vigilantes started beating us as we stepped out of the vehicle. They later stood back and allowed the locals to continue the assault while they watched. Realising that we would likely be killed, some of us ran for our lives?I was one of them. While fleeing, I encountered kind-hearted Hausa people, who gave me some money to reach the Hausa community leader here.?

Back in Torankawa village, fear and uncertainty loom. Many families still do not know if their relatives are alive. ?Our village is in mourning. Every family is worried because they do not know whether their relative is alive or dead,? a community source said.

Malam Alasan Ubale, a native of Torankawa now living in Rano, expressed his anguish. ?For decades, hunters from our village have traveled across the country for expeditions, and nothing like this has ever happened before. This is a shocking tragedy.?

The attack

A group of travelers on their way to Kano for the Sallah celebrations were brutally lynched by a mob after being wrongly accused of kidnapping.

According to eyewitness accounts, the victims, identified as hunters, were intercepted by local vigilantes who stopped their vehicle for a routine search. During the inspection, the vigilantes discovered dane guns?traditional firearms commonly used for hunting. The discovery reportedly led to widespread suspicion, fueling unrest among bystanders.

As tensions escalated, a mob quickly formed, drawing conclusions that the travelers were kidnappers. In a shocking turn of events, the victims were overpowered, tied to used tyres, doused in petrol, and set ablaze. A widely circulated video of the incident showed the harrowing moment the victims were surrounded and ultimately killed.

Authorities have condemned the act, describing it as a tragic case of jungle justice. Security agencies have since launched an investigation into the incident, with a promise to bring those responsible to justice.

As of now, 14 suspects have been arrested in connection with the attack. (BusinessDay)

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