The Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the state.
This is coming after mob burnt no fewer than 16 Hausa hunters mostly from the north to death over false accusation of kidnapping.
HEADLINENEWS earlier reports that the victims were brutally killed in the Udune Efandion community of Uromi, Edo State, on Thursday after being wrongly accused of kidnapping.
The victims, mostly hunters of Hausa origin, were traveling from Port Harcourt to Kano for the Sallah celebration when they were stopped around 1:30 p.m. by members of the Edo State Security Corps and local vigilantes.
The presence of their Dane guns, traditionally used for hunting in Northern Nigeria, was misinterpreted as a security threat. Instead of alerting law enforcement, the vigilantes sounded an alarm that incited panic and violence.
A mob, acting on the false accusation, launched a deadly attack, killing 16 travelers on the spot. Their vehicle was set on fire, with some of the bodies trapped inside. Others were reportedly dragged out and thrown into the flames.
Security operatives responded to a distress call but arrived too late to prevent the killings. However, four survivors were rescued and taken to His Grace Hospital in Uromi for medical care.
The State Chairman of Edo PDP, Tony Aziegbemi in a statement on Friday strongly condemned mob killings of seven victims of mob action in Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government Area of the State.
Aziegbemi attributed the extrajudicial killings to frustration among citizens over alleged non-intervention by the state government in tackling insecurity.
He also sympathised with families of the victims whom he said were mindlessly killed.
“It is necessary to state that citizens often mirror the character of the government with authority over them. Having sensed that Okpebholo’s government does not follow the established rule of law, or obey court judgments, the tendency is there for the civil population to mirror such behaviour.”
“With seven people burnt alive in just one day, and several other killings numbering over 100 in the past few months, the PDP is therefore calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make the necessary call and declare a State of Emergency in Edo State as the mayhem currently ongoing in Edo far exceeds the skirmishes that happened in Rivers State, which led to the declaration of a state of emergency there.
“For emphasis, we want to restate that kidnapping, killings, maiming, and other violent crimes have now become a daily occurrence in Edo under the Okpebholo administration, claiming no fewer than 100 lives in the last few months.
“Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, Comr. Adams Oshiomhole, had to take to the floor of the Senate to raise the alarm that the State was under siege.
“The crisis by far surpasses the skirmishes that took place in Rivers State, which led to the declaration of a state of emergency.
“Therefore, for the safety of our people and to put an end to these mindless killings, raping, abductions, and destruction of property in Edo, we believe it is appropriate for the President to declare a state of emergency in Edo State as a matter of urgency,” the main opposition party said.
“We have repeatedly warned that Okpebholo has displayed a clear lack of competence in handling the state’s affairs. Since assuming office, he has done practically nothing except hop from one project site of the previous administration to another, trying to undo the good work carried out by the previous PDP administration, instead of focusing on governance, developing a plan, and implementing same for the progress and prosperity of the State and its people.
“As part of his futile efforts to undo the good work of the previous PDP government, he has disorganized the security network, abandoned the surveillance system with cameras, and other nuanced systems put in place to tackle crime and criminality, leaving the State in chaos. Unfortunately, Okpebholo is only obsessed with politics, thereby abandoning governance and the welfare and security of the people, which is his primary responsibility.
“These are needless deaths, far too many and we call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take immediate action to prevent further loss of lives and ensure the safety and security of Edo State and its people,” the statement added.
