Benin City, Edo State—Senator Monday Okpebholo has launched a full-scale investigation into the mob killing of seven individuals in Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government Area. The victims, suspected of being kidnappers, were reportedly found with firearms in a commercial truck before being lynched by an enraged crowd.
In a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, Okpebholo condemned the act as “barbaric and condemnable.” He emphasized that no one has the right to take the law into their own hands, regardless of the circumstances. “This incident is a cause for concern and a stark reminder of the need for law and order in our state,” the statement read.
The Commissioner of Police has been directed to lead the investigation, and preliminary reports indicate that four individuals have already been arrested in connection with the incident. Okpebholo assured the public that all those involved would face the full weight of the law.
The leader of the Hausa community in Uromi, Mallam Aliyu Haruna, expressed gratitude for the swift deployment of security personnel to the area. “This is the first time such an incident has occurred in Uromi. We have always lived peacefully with the indigenes, and this act is deeply troubling,” Haruna said.
