In relation to the murder of seven alleged kidnappers in Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government Area of the State, the Edo State Police Command said on Friday that 14 suspects had been taken into custody.
Moses Yamu, the Command’s spokesperson, revealed this in a statement provided to reporters in Benin on Friday, according to The Intercept.
Yamu, who verified the occurrence, stated that the command denounced the traveler victims’ deaths.
According to him, on March 27, 2025, 16 out of 25 Port Harcourt travellers were attacked in Udune Efandion Community, which is located along the Uromi/Obajana Motorway in Edo State.
According to him, two of the 16 tourists who suffered varying degrees of injury were taken to a hospital and are already responding favourably to treatment, while the other 10 were saved.
He says, “The incident occurred when the truck with registration number KKF 225 XA coming from Port Harcourt, conveying 25 travellers from Elele, a suburb of Rivers State, was accosted by some vigilante group members at Uromi, and some of the travelers found in possession of locally made dane guns were arrested.
“While this was ongoing, some vigilante members raised an alarm of them being suspected kidnappers, which led some members and passersby in the community to attack and lynch sixteen (16) of the occupants while the truck conveying them was equally burnt.
“Police operatives attached to the Uromi Division got wind of the incident and swiftly stormed the scene where ten (10) of the travelers were rescued, two (2) of whom sustained various degrees of injuries and were rushed to a hospital where they are currently positively responding to treatment.
“In the course of investigations, fourteen (14) suspects have been arrested in connection with the crime, while an emergency meeting was convened with stakeholders and members of the community to address the situation.”
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In order to prevent a breakdown of law and order, Yamu said, a unit of Police Mobile Force troops along with other command tactical teams have been sent to the region.
“While reiterating the need for peaceful coexistence among various groups, Commissioner of Police in charge of the Command, Betty Enekpen Isokpan, urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with the police as investigations continued,” he added.
According to him, the commissioner also issued a warning against any kind of retaliatory assaults or illegal gatherings that can heighten tensions.
