Tears flowed on Saturday in Uromi, Edo State, as the remains of the hunters who were lynched by a mob were interred.

Members of the Hausa community converged on the community cemetery to pay their last respects to the victims, who were burnt to death on Friday after being accused of being kidnappers.

Our correspondents had earlier reported that the men were travelling in a Dangote Cement truck when they were intercepted around 1.30pm by local security guards.

After the guards searched the truck and found dane guns, they raised the alarm, which triggered the mob attack.

?19 hunters buried?

A video of the funeral rites posted on X by a security analyst, Zagazola Makama, showed the moment the victims were buried.

The 1 minute 29 seconds clip captured members of the Hausa community in a solemn mood as the wrapped corpses were placed beside large graves.

The man filming the burial, who spoke in Hausa, said, ?Assalamualaikum, this time we will pray for the bodies of our brothers who were killed for us?those who were massacred. May God bless them with mercy, forgive them, and accept their martyrdom for the sake of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

?Here is the Muslim community; they have gathered now and will be offering funeral prayers for our brothers who were killed. Now, we will offer the prayer for them.?

An Imam subsequently began praying on the bodies, marking the commencement of the rites.

The man behind the filming said the death toll had increased to 19.

?Remember yesterday (Friday): the bodies of three people were brought to us, and we were able to pray for them. But now, 16 more corpses have also been brought, and we will pray for them. May God Almighty forgive them.

?Look at their graves here. Because there are so many of them, it is not possible to dig individual graves for each one. Instead, they will be buried together in one place,? he stated.

The security analyst, Makama, said a mother clutched to the grave?s edge as she lamented the killing of her son.

?My son was not a kidnapper! He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time!? she sobbed.

He also said a father held to the photograph of his slain son.

The Ojuromi of Uromi, Anselm Aidenojie II, who visited the Hausa community alongside Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, during the burial, condemned the killings, noting that security agencies were taking measures to avert reprisals.

Aidenojie stressed that those responsible for the killings would be brought to justice.

?They (the victims) have been buried, and hopefully, this will never happen again in our community or anywhere else,? he added.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, in a statement, had said 14 suspects were arrested in connection with the incident.

Northern governors move to stop reprisals

Meanwhile, Sunday PUNCH gathered that northern governors had started making moves to strengthen peace and forstall reprisals in the region.

The Director-General (Press Affairs) to the NGF Chairman and Governor of Gombe State, Ismaila Misili, said, ?Let me unequivocally state that there is no tension in the North over the unfortunate incident in Edo State.

?Recall that northern governors, through their Chairman and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, had already issued a statement calling for calm and restraint.

?Individual governors in the North have also proactively engaged with relevant stakeholders to ensure peace, especially ahead of the Eid el-Fitr celebrations.

?Religious leaders also continue to promote peaceful coexistence and discourage any actions that might disrupt the harmony we have worked diligently to establish.?

Also, the Nasarawa State Government, while condemning the killings, called on security agencies to prosecute the perpetrators.

The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Public Affairs, Peter Ahemba, in an interview with Sunday PUNCH in Lafia, said security agencies had been placed on red alert to safeguard all 13 LGAs in the state.

He urged residents to remain calm and law-abiding, warning that anyone found disturbing the peace would be arrested.

?Governor Abdullahi Sule has said that no matter what, we must maintain peace in Nasarawa State. We have no room for such dastardly acts as seen in Edo.

?Security agencies have been placed on red alert to ensure that nothing untoward happens anywhere in the state regarding any reprisal attacks,? he said.

But the Borno State Government said it was still assessing the situation.

Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, said the state had yet to receive any directive from the Northern Governors? Forum.

Meanwhile, the Borno State Police Command said it had stepped up security patrols for the Sallah celebration.

The command?s spokesperson, ASP Nahum Daso, said strategic police deployments had been made to maintain order.

?What we currently have on the ground is Sallah preparation. We have deployed personnel in strategic positions. We are also conducting a show of force, which involves patrolling to ensure visibility. This will help prevent any incidents that could lead to unrest, particularly those with religious undertones,? Daso said.

Politician places bounty on suspects

On social media, there was palpable anger among the Arewa on Saturday as some individuals also took to X, sharing images of some of the suspected attackers and placing N1m bounty on them.

A Social Democratic Party member based in Abuja, Ibrahim Sanusi, was among those spearheading the movement.

While posting on his verified X handle, he wrote, ?N1million reward for anyone who can identify these criminals and provide information leading to their arrest. If you have any information, please come forward. #JusticeForUromi16.?

As of the time of filing this report, over 1,500 tweeps had retweeted the post, while it had gathered 3,600 likes and 124 quotes.

However, the Coalition of Northern Groups and the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum condemned the resort to self-help, warning that it could escalate tension across the country.

Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the CNG National Coordinator, Jamilu Charanchi, acknowledged that while the killing of innocent hunters was reprehensible, law enforcement agencies must be allowed to handle the matter.

?All we demand is for the police to expedite investigations so that the real perpetrators can be identified and brought to justice. This will help reduce tensions in the North,? he stated.

Charanchi further argued that no individual or group had the right to place a bounty on anyone, stressing that the law must take its course.

Similarly, the AYCF President, Yerima Shettima, cautioned against any form of retaliation, stressing that justice must be pursued within the framework of the law.

Northerners petition Tinubu, IGP, others

Meanwhile, Sanusi and over 100 others have launched a petition on Change.org, addressed to President Bola Tinubu and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and Edo State Governor, Okpebholo.

As of 7pm on Saturday, no fewer than 273 people had signed the petition, demanding justice for the victims.

The petitioners stated, ?We, the undersigned, formally express our outrage and demand immediate action regarding the brutal extrajudicial killings of 16 innocent Northern Muslim travellers in Udune Efandion, Uromi, Edo State, on Thursday.

?This horrific act of mob violence, fuelled by false accusations and ethnic profiling, represents a gross violation of human rights and a failure of law enforcement to uphold justice and protect citizens.?

The petitioners further outlined six key demands, calling for a comprehensive and independent investigation into the massacre, ensuring that all perpetrators, including those who incited the mob, were identified and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

They also demanded accountability from security personnel and Edo State authorities for their failure to prevent and respond effectively to the attack, insisting that those found negligent in their duty must face appropriate disciplinary measures.

Our guns are licensed ? Survivors

Recounting their ordeal, one of the survivors, Dayahu Yahaya, from Bukunre Local Government Area of Kano State, said he was on the front seat when the vigilantes accosted their truck and ordered the driver to step down.

He said, ?I was sitting in the front seat. They asked our driver to come down from the vehicle, but he refused, and they started beating him with canes while I kept quiet. They also ordered those on top of the vehicle to get down. When I asked what had happened, they ignored me. As they came down, the vigilantes began beating them as well.?

According to him, the vigilantes accused them of being Boko Haram members and kidnappers after finding locally-made guns in their possession.

?If we were Boko Haram, would we be moving around freely and travelling that early in the morning as we always do? Our guns are licensed, and we have the papers to prove it,? he added.

According to him, there were 27 of them in the truck, but only four escaped unhurt. Two were hospitalised, while he lost count of how many were killed.

Another survivor, identified simply as Mustapha from Rimi LGA of Katsina State, said he narrowly escaped death.

?We are in the hunting business and have never had any problems. We were on our way home for Sallah when vigilante members stopped us at Uromi.

?They forced us to get down from our vehicle and started beating us. Some of us ran when we realised they were going to kill us. Luckily for me, I ran into our people, the Hausa community, and they mobilised okada fare for me to reach the Hausa Emir in the town,? Mustapha recounted.

He said It was the vigilante members who handed them over to the irate mob before he managed to escape.

?The vigilantes handed us over to the townspeople, and some of us started running. The people searched our vehicle and found our hunting materials, including charms and locally made hunting guns, which we use for protection,? he explained.

Reps, Falana, others demand justice

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has called on security agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Reacting to the incident in a statement issued on Saturday by its spokesman, Akin Rotimi, the House described the killing as a grave violation of human rights and the rule of law.

The statement also quoted the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, as labelling the killings as ?barbaric, cowardly, and unacceptable,? stressing that ?such acts of brutality have no place in a society that upholds the sanctity of life?a fundamental principle deeply rooted in both Islamic and Christian teachings.?

Abbas also called for restraint, urging Nigerians to avoid actions capable of escalating tensions.

He emphasised the need for collective efforts by security agencies, community leaders, and citizens to prevent such tragic incidents from recurring.

Similarly, a former Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, also condemned the killing, describing it as ?irresponsible and a clear show of human inhumanity to humans in Nigeria.?

Pantami, in a post on his X handle on Saturday, said injustice anywhere was a threat to justice everywhere, calling on security agencies to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Chairman of the Alliance on COVID-19 and Beyond, Femi Falana, urged the Edo State Government and the Nigeria Police to expedite the investigation and prosecution of suspects arrested in connection with the killings of the hunters.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the human rights lawyer condemned the murderous act and called on the Edo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to ensure swift justice for the offenders.

The renowned lawyer noted that over 500 unarmed individuals had fallen victim to mob justice in the past decade, stressing that mere condemnation of the travellers? killing was insufficient.

Also, the Northern Senators Forum on Saturday condemned the murder of the travelling hunters.

In a statement issued in Abuja by the Chairman of the Forum, Abdulaziz Yar?Adua, the lawmakers said, ?These individuals, who were travelling to the northern part of Nigeria, were tragically stereotyped as Fulani kidnappers and brutally murdered in a despicable manner.

?We strongly condemn this heinous act, which is a clear violation of the fundamental human rights of the victims. We urge the Edo State Government to take immediate action to identify and prosecute the perpetrators of this gruesome murder.?

Sultan-led JNI, Hausa community react

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa?ad Abubakar III-led Jama?atu Nasril Islam, also condemned the gruesome murder of the 16 travellers.

In a statement issued by the Secretary-General of JNI, Prof Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, in Kaduna on Saturday, the organisation expressed its sadness over the incident.

The JNI?s scribe also called on the Federal Government to take concrete actions to address the growing insecurity in the country rather than just issuing condemnations.

The Hausa community in Jos, Plateau State, equally condemned the killings, with community leaders expressing disappointment and agitation over the incident.

Alhaji Sabiu Ibrahim, a prominent Hausa leader, who spoke with Sunday PUNCH in Jos on Saturday, revealed that the community was disturbed by the gruesome pictures of the victims circulating on social media.

?We are not happy with the killings, and our northern leaders have also condemned the manner in which those northerners were killed. We stand by that condemnation, and we believe that innocent people being killed while travelling should not be swept under the carpet,? Sabiu said. (Sunday PUNCH)

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