Sixteen northern travelers were brutally murdered by a mob in Udune Efandion community, Uromi, Edo State, on Thursday, triggering widespread condemnation across Nigeria.

The victims, identified as Hausa hunters, were falsely accused of kidnapping, leading to their deaths in a violent mob attack.

According to counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama, the hunters were traveling from Port Harcourt to Kano for Sallah festivities when they were intercepted around 1:30 p.m. by members of the Edo State Security Corps and local vigilantes. Makama explained,

“The sight of their hunting guns — dane guns commonly used in the North was misinterpreted as a threat. Instead of contacting the police, or other security agencies, local vigilantes raised a false alarm, which ignited a wave of chaos and violence.”

He further described the horrific scene, stating, “In a grotesque act of barbarism, the mob set the truck ablaze, leaving some bodies trapped inside the vehicle. While some people were taken out on wheelbarrow and thrown inside fire. This gruesome scene only points to the sickening reality of mob justice that has taken root in certain communities.”

A viral video circulating online captured the mob burning the travelers alive, intensifying public anger.

Four survivors were rescued and taken to His Grace Hospital in Uromi for urgent medical treatment, Makama added.

Meanwhile, the Hausa community in Uromi convened an emergency peace meeting to address the incident and prevent reprisals.