The main northern sociocultural organization, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has urged a thorough inquiry and adequate compensation for the victims' relatives.
In a statement issued by its national publicity secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the ACF deplored the gruesome, cold-blooded murder of 16 (so far) Nigerian citizens by mobsters masquerading as community vigilantes in Uromi, Edo State, last Thursday.
Prof Muhammad-Baba said the victims were travelling to Kano for Sallah celebrations and were simply passing through Edo State when they were attacked and killed in the most brazen, barbaric and heart-wrenching manner, reminiscent of prehistoric times.
“Ostensibly, the victims met their sad ends after being ‘mistaken’ for kidnappers. Expectedly, the incident continues to elicit outrage and condemnation from many in Nigeria and beyond. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, key media outlets, etc., have also condemned the incident, calling for investigations and justice to prevail.”
ACF, however, rejected the misleading narratives, perhaps designed to blunt the horrors of the tragedy: that the incident was an outcome of mistaken identity.