Nigerian CSOs Condemn Edo Killings, Urge NBA, FG to Ensure Justice

The League of Civil Society Organizations in Kano State has condemned the extra-judicial execution of 16 travellers in Edo State, describing the act as “barbaric, savage, and inhumane.”

The incident, which occurred on Thursday, March 27, 2025, involved a group of Hausa hunters traveling from Port Harcourt to Kano for the Sallah festivities.

The travellers were reportedly intercepted by members of the Edo State Security Corps and local vigilantes, leading to mob violence that resulted in their deaths.

In a press statement signed by Comrade Bala Abdullahi Gaduwama, the convener of the League, the CSOs expressed deep shock over the killings.

“One wonders how the sight of traveller’s hunting Dane guns, commonly used in the North, could have been misinterpreted as a threat by a professionally trained militia,” the statement read. “Instead of contacting the police or other security agencies for necessary advice and guidance, the local vigilantes raised a false alarm, which ignited a wave of chaos and violence.”

According to the League, the failure of security personnel to intervene effectively resulted in the killing of 16 travellers. Some victims were burned alive inside the truck that was set ablaze by an irate mob.

The League of Civil Society Organizations in Kano State has called for an investigation to ensure that all perpetrators of the attack are identified and prosecuted.

“The right to freedom of movement is enshrined in Section 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), which guarantees every citizen the right to move freely throughout the country and reside anywhere without unlawful restriction,” the statement added.

The organizations also appealed for calm, urging the Hausa community in Uromi and other parts of the country not to engage in retaliatory actions. “We appeal to the leadership of the Hausa Community to remain calm and not be provoked into any retaliatory action capable of worsening the already terrible living conditions of the people,” the League stated.

Furthermore, the League urged national and international human rights organizations, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), to ensure that justice is served and that the case is not ignored. It also called on the Federal Government to compensate the families of the victims.

The statement was endorsed by several civil society organizations, including the Youth and Environmental Development Association (YEDA), Centre for Human Rights and Social Advancement (CEFSAN), African Centre for Innovative Research and Development (Afri-CIRD), Civil Society Organization for Conflict Resolution in Nigeria (CS-CRIN), Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), and Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC).

Others include Adolescent Health Information Project (AHIP), Women in Media Development Initiative (WIMDI), Wuro Development Concerns (WDCN), United Action for Democracy (UAD), Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Democratic Action Group (DAG), National Council for Child Rights Advocates of Nigeria, Network for Environmental Safety and Society Development (NESSD), and Youth Empowerment and Human Development (YEHDI).

Additional signatories to the statement include the Campaign for Democracy (CD), Joint Action Front (JAF), Women Leadership in Nigeria, Pay it Forward Initiative, KASYADAREC, Network for Justice, Nigerian Environmental Society (NES), Rule of Law and Justice Advancement Network (ROLJAN), Gender Support and Youth Empowerment Initiative (GENSAYE), Open Government Partnership (OGP), Centre for Legal Orientation and Humanitarian Aid (CELOHA), Publish What You Pay (PWYP), Rise Up Youth Initiative (RUYI), Centre for Awareness Reorientation and Empowerment (CARE-Africa), Frontier for Gender Advocacy, Accountability & Empowerment Initiative, Bridge Connect Africa Initiative (BCAI), Partnership for the Promotion of Maternal Child Health (PPMCH), Centre for Gender and Social Inclusion (CAGSI), Kasham Girls, Women, Youth and Community Development Network, Promoting Literacy and Awareness Forum, Tudun Wada, and Community-Based Equal Justice Initiative.

The League reiterated its demand for action to prevent future occurrences of such acts and called on the Federal Government to reinforce measures that ensure the safety and security of all Nigerian citizens, regardless of their ethnic or religious background.

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