Chaos And Fear Grip Uromi After Mob Attack

Uromi Still Reeling After Mob Violence

A week after a violent mob lynched 16 northern travelers accused of being kidnappers, fear and uncertainty continue to grip the people of Uromi. As life begins to inch back toward normalcy, residents are voicing concerns about the alleged indiscriminate arrests and extortion tactics employed by security operatives, particularly the police. The situation has left a deep scar on the community, and tensions remain high as people struggle to regain a sense of safety and stability.

On what would normally be a bustling market day, Mission Road, the town’s commercial hub, remained eerily quiet. The streets, typically filled with the hum of daily life, now feel subdued, with significantly reduced vehicular and human traffic. Many young men have reported being arbitrarily picked up by the police, with some allegedly forced to pay exorbitant sums to avoid detention or transfer to Abuja under suspicion of involvement in the killings.

Residents Speak Out About Extortion and Fear Tactics

Reports are circulating that police officers are demanding no less than ₦300,000 from individuals caught in their sweeps. In one particularly alarming case, a young man who had just returned from abroad was allegedly arrested and coerced into transferring ₦1 million via a Point of Sale (POS) operator before being released under the threat of being taken to Abuja. It’s a story that has left many residents shaken and questioning the intentions of those meant to protect them.

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A local resident, speaking in Pidgin English, expressed his frustration: “Make dem do come dey go because no be wetin dem send dem, naim dem dey do now (They should leave us alone because they are not doing what they were sent to do).” The sentiment is shared by many, as the community grapples with the reality of being targeted by those meant to serve and protect.

Fears of Retaliation and Police Clampdown

The Concerned Northern Forum (CNF) has issued a warning about possible retaliatory attacks in northern states and Abuja. The group has urged northerners residing in the south to consider returning home for their safety. This warning has only added to the tension in Uromi, where the situation has already led to changes in social behavior.

Prince Eugene Olumese, a Uromi resident, shared his concerns: “This situation is affecting everyone here. The police are arresting people indiscriminately, and young men are now afraid to gather in groups of three or more for fear of being picked up. Innocent and guilty people alike are being arrested, and with the local vigilante group suspended, we are at the mercy of the police while criminal Fulani herdsmen still roam our forests.”

Police Respond to Allegations

Despite the mounting complaints, the police have urged those affected to provide concrete evidence of extortion for appropriate action to be taken. The Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Edo State Police Command, Moses Yamu, responded: “It is not just enough to allege that police are extorting; they must have done it to one or two people. These people should let us know or show proof, then we can investigate.”

Yamu added, “I may not be able to tell you that it is not true, but I cannot also say it is a fact since there is no evidence. What I promise we will do, I will make some enquiries and also keep an eye on the ground there.”

On the claim that a young man paid ₦1 million to avoid being transferred to Abuja, Yamu stated: “That one is on social media, and I have chatted with the person who posted it to provide me with details, but till now as we speak, he has not.”

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Tensions Persist Amid Reduced Police Presence

Despite a noticeable reduction in security presence on the roads compared to earlier in the week, fear still lingers over the town. At Goodwill Junction along Old Ilushi Road, the scene of the mob attack, signs of the violence remain. The burnt truck, still loaded with palm kernel shells, sits abandoned, while a scavenger picks at its metal remnants.

Businesses in the area remain shuttered, with shop owners, churchgoers, and residents hesitant to resume normal activities due to concerns about reprisals or further police raids. Even commercial motorcycle operators avoid the location, with one reluctantly agreeing to go only after this reporter identified himself as a journalist.

Banks Resume Operations, But Market Activity Remains Low

Despite rumors that banks might remain closed, financial institutions along Mission Road reopened for business on the first working day after the Eid-el-Fitr holiday. Customers were seen transacting at full capacity, a sign that some semblance of normalcy is returning. However, the Uromi market, which normally overflows with activity on traditional market days, witnessed significantly lower foot traffic.

A trader, speaking anonymously, said: “You can see that even today, which is our market day, vehicles and motorcycles, commonly known as Okada, are moving freely, but people are still not free to come out. On a market day, every movement here is at a snail’s pace because of the large turnout. I have opened for business, but it is obvious I will close early.”

Unanswered Questions Surrounding the Mob Attack

Residents remain divided over the justification for the lynching, arguing that Uromi has long suffered from unchecked kidnapping activity. Some claim that the victims were not mere travelers but had undisclosed large sums of money in fresh banknotes at the time of the attack, further fueling suspicions about their activities.

A resident, Olumese, voiced his frustration: “You can imagine that when people are arrested in the act of kidnapping and taken to the appropriate authorities, mainly the police, in a few days to months, you see the same people walking freely. Your life is at risk, especially those who are to keep watch over the town – the vigilantes – because these people (kidnappers) will come after them, so I think these are the reasons they took the law into their hands, which is not appropriate.”

Olumese continued, “The extra-judicial killing was not right, though. We are not happy about it, but there was a situation that was not remedied by the authorities. There are some of our young people who are entrepreneurs, they can’t build houses where there are warehouses; they build in fresh lands, which are mostly bushes, and these people can no longer go to their houses.”

He added, “Prices of goods keep skyrocketing because the food we can produce is no longer available because our farmers can no longer go to their farms. Herdsmen will go to farms to harvest food crops for their cattle to feed on, all these are unanswered questions.”

Many locals also pointed to broader security concerns, such as rising food prices caused by herdsmen preventing farmers from accessing their lands. The community is left grappling with these issues, hoping for answers and solutions that will bring peace and stability back to Uromi.