The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the gruesome murder of traveling hunters in the Uromi community of the Esan North Local Government Area, Edo State.

The victims were reportedly travelling from Port Harcourt to Kano when they were stopped at Uromi by vigilante groups. They were accused of criminal activities and gruesomely murdered upon finding the travellers in possession of guns. Their vehicle was also set on fire.

NBA president, Afam Osigwe, in a statement, lamented the alarming rise in mob action and vigilante justice in various parts of Nigeria. Osigwe decried the brutality meted out to the suspects, emphasising that no individual, regardless of the nature of the fellow’s alleged crime, should be subjected to such brutality.

“It is deeply troubling that mobs continue to take laws into their hands, attacking and lynching suspected criminals, often without the intervention of law enforcement agencies.

“No individual, regardless of the crime they are alleged to have committed, should be subjected to mob violence. Every accused person has the right to be investigated and, where necessary, prosecuted in a court of law.

“Allowing mob actions to persist undermines the very foundation of our criminal justice system and portrays Nigeria as a society where lawlessness prevails.

“This tragic incident must serve as a wake-up call for our law enforcement agencies to ensure that no such crime goes unpunished. Justice must be served, and perpetrators of mob violence must be held accountable to deter future occurrences,” he said.

He urged the Edo State Government and relevant security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the heinous act and ensure that the culprits face the full wrath of the law.

Osigwe stressed the need for justice, adding that vigilante justice has no place in a society governed by the rule of law. The NBA leader extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased, expressing deep sorrow for their loss.