According to Vanguard, tensions in Uromi, Edo State, have deepened following a harrowing account shared by Brown Okojie, a local resident, who revealed that just a day before a mob lynched 16 travelers, a ransom of N25 million had been paid to herders for the release of a kidnapped couple. The shocking part of the story was that despite receiving the ransom, the suspected herders allegedly killed the man and his wife, leaving their bodies along Ubiaja Road.
“A day before the incident, N25 million was paid as ransom to the herders to release a husband and his wife, but they still killed them and left their bodies along the Ubiaja Road. That same day, a lady went to pay N5 million to bail her sister from the herdsmen in Uromi; they collected the money, released the initial victim, and then kept her,” he said.
The revelation has cast a fresh spotlight on the worsening security situation in the area, where residents continue to suffer from repeated attacks and kidnappings. According to Okojie, the Fulani herders have been responsible for a string of violent incidents in the region, creating a climate of fear and deep resentment among the people.
The violence isn’t limited to abductions alone. Reports indicate that herders have also been involved in other disturbing crimes, including rape and the destruction of farmlands, affecting livelihoods and contributing to growing tensions between local communities and the nomadic groups. The recent wave of kidnappings has pushed many residents to desperation and anger.
In another troubling incident cited by Okojie, a woman reportedly paid N5 million to secure her sister’s release from kidnappers. While the initial victim was released, the herders allegedly detained the woman who brought the money, further highlighting the lawlessness and danger that has engulfed the area.
These events set the stage for the mob action that occurred on March 27, when a group of 27 individuals was detained under suspicion of being kidnappers. Although some of them claimed to be licensed hunters, community members—already on edge due to recent crimes—responded violently, leading to the lynching of 16 of them.
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