CSOs Condemn Extra-Judicial Killing Of 16 Travellers In Edo

The League of Civil Society Organizations in Kano State has strongly condemned the alleged extra-judicial killing of 16 northern travellers in Edo State on March 27, 2025.

People’s Pen24 reports that the victims, Hausa hunters, were said to be on their way from Port Harcourt to Kano for the Sallah festivities when they were intercepted by members of the Edo State Security Corps and local vigilantes.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the League Convener, Comrade Bala Abdullahi Gaduwama, the League expressed shock and dismay over the incident, describing it as “barbaric” and “a gross violation of human rights.”

According to the statement, instead of alerting the police or other security agencies, the vigilantes allegedly raised a false alarm, which incited a mob attack on the travellers.

“The sight of travellers carrying hunting Dane guns, a common tool in the North, should not have been misinterpreted as a threat by a trained security outfit,” the statement read.

“This tragic event is a clear reflection of the dangerous rise in mob justice in parts of Nigeria.”

The League called for a thorough investigation into the killings to ensure that all those responsible are brought to justice.

It also urged the Federal Government to expedite compensation for the victims’ families to alleviate their hardship.

Furthermore, the League appealed for calm among the Hausa community in Edo and other parts of the country, urging them not to retaliate. “Violence will only worsen the already dire situation,” it stated.

The statement was endorsed by prominent civil society organizations, including the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), among others.

The League also called on national and international human rights organizations to ensure the case is not ignored, emphasizing that freedom of movement is a constitutional right that must be protected across Nigeria.