Relatives of the 16 Kano hunters killed in Uromi, Edo State, have expressed frustration over what they described as the failure of both the Kano and Edo State governments to fully fulfil promises of compensation and justice nearly one year after the tragic incident.
The victims were among a group of Kano-bound hunters travelling from Rivers State to Kano for Sallah celebrations in March 2025 when they were attacked and lynched by a mob in Uromi, Edo State, after being falsely accused of kidnapping.
The incident sparked national outrage and led to widespread condemnation, with Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano state and Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo state promising compensation and justice for the victims’ families.
However, some of the bereaved relatives say they are still struggling with hardship and emotional trauma due to what they described as government inaction and delays in fulfilling those promises.
Among those who spoke out were Khadija Abdullahi Hamisu, widow of one of the slain hunters, and Aisha Abdullahi, mother of one of the deceased victims.
Khadija reportedly lamented that life had become extremely difficult since the death of her husband during the attack. She disclosed that she also lost her five-month pregnancy following the tragedy and expressed disappointment that both governments had yet to fully redeem their promises.
The grieving widow said apart from occasional individual assistance and humanitarian support, many affected families continue to live in hardship while awaiting compensation and justice for their slain relatives.
Similarly, Aisha Abdullahi reportedly expressed dismay over the prolonged delay in addressing the suffering of the victims’ families, stressing that many households had lost their breadwinners in the attack.
Relatives of the victims said the delay had worsened their economic conditions and increased the burden on widows, children and elderly parents left behind by the deceased hunters.
Despite the complaints, the Kano State Government recently disclosed that efforts were ongoing to ensure that compensation promised by the Edo State Government would be paid.
The Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, had earlier announced that a special account tagged “Uromi-16” had been opened for the disbursement of compensation to affected families.
The commissioner also disclosed that the Kano State Government distributed about N7.4 million in cash assistance and food items to families of the deceased and survivors of the attack. Families of the 16 slain hunters reportedly received N300,000 each, while survivors were given N200,000 alongside food items.
Moreover, in its special Report, SOLACEBASE online newspaper disclosed that the Kano state government said it is engaging with Edo counterpart for successful compensation to the affected families.
While appreciating the intervention, many relatives insist that the assistance falls short of the major compensation and justice earlier promised by authorities.
The killings continue to generate concern among civil society groups, community leaders and human rights advocates, who have renewed calls for speedy prosecution of suspects arrested in connection with the mob attack.
Observers warn that continued delay in compensation and justice may deepen frustration among affected communities and weaken public confidence in the justice system.
Meanwhile, solacebase’s efforts to reach out to Edo state government prove unsuccessful at press time.
The Uromi killings remain one of the most controversial incidents of mob violence in recent Nigerian history and continue to raise concerns about ethnic profiling, security failures and the dangers of jungle justice across the country.