By Osehobo Ofure,Benin City
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has commended Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, for his prompt and decisive response to the Uromi mob killings. The group described his leadership as a model for other governors.
The incident involved a group of travelers, reportedly hunters, who were mistaken for kidnappers and killed by a mob in Uromi. Some of the victims were from Kano State. The attack has drawn widespread condemnation.
HURIWA praised Governor Okpebholo for ensuring swift arrests and pledging compensation to the families of the victims. The group noted his commitment to justice, national unity, and adherence to constitutional law. His visit to Kano to meet with the bereaved families was seen as a significant step toward reconciliation.
The governor also took immediate action by suspending the head of the Edo State vigilante group, whose members were linked to the tragic misidentification. HURIWA lauded this decision as a crucial reform to prevent further mob violence.
Comparing Okpebholo’s response to past incidents in Northern Nigeria, HURIWA criticized the failure of some governors to prosecute those responsible for mob killings of Christian victims. The group cited the murder of Deborah Samuel in Sokoto and the killing of Pastor Eunice Elisha in Abuja as examples of unpunished religious violence.
HURIWA questioned why swift justice is more apparent when Muslim victims are attacked compared to cases involving Christian victims in the North. The organization called for an end to selective justice and urged the prosecution of all those involved in religiously motivated mob killings.
The association urged Edo State to follow through on its commitment to punish the Uromi attackers. It also called on the Federal Government and Northern governors to ensure justice for past victims of religious violence.
HURIWA emphasized that mob violence threatens national unity and must be condemned by all Nigerians. The group called for stricter oversight of vigilante groups and stronger legal action against extrajudicial killings.
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