Edo State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has confirmed that some residents including vigilante members have handed over to it, four persons from Kano State caught with dane guns in Benin City, the police said the suspects are hunters and not herdsmen as alleged by members of the public, and on the other hand, the Kano State Government has submitted the actual names of victims and their next of kin to the Edo State Counterpart over the killing of travellers caught with guns at Uromi last Month by irate mobs.

The Kano State Government led by the Deputy Governor while in Benin City during the week, confirmed the actual total numbers of persons killed at Uromi to be 16, saying, the victims hailed from five local government areas of Kano State.

Edo State Command of the Nigeria Police Force in a statement it issued on Saturday, said that the “Edo Command is aware of a misinformation on the social media that four (4) herdsmen armed with guns were arrested at Americanus hotel on Osemwenkhae street after Big Joe motors, Ramat park, Orogbeni Quarters and handed over to the Police.

The command wishes to inform the general public that four suspects; Yusuf Abdulkarim, Mujaheed Garba, Shittu Idris, and Jamilu Habibu intercepted by a member of the Edo Security Network with three dane guns, six empty cartridges, three half filled cartridges, four cutlasses and two daggers, were swiftly taken over by officers from the Ikpoba Hill Police Station.

Preliminary investigation reveals that they are hunters, not herdsmen. They were from Doguwa in Kano State heading to Uvbe Community in Orhionmwon Local Government of Edo State. Meanwhile, investigation is ongoing.

The Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, wishes to use this opportunity to discourage residents of the state from circulating wrong information capable of causing unnecessary tension”, the police said as signed and made available by the Police Command Public Relations Officer, CSP Moses Joel Yamu.

A news release from the office of the Chief Press Scretary to the Edo State Governor indicated that the “Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo has disclosed that the Federal, in collaboration with the Edo State Government, have set up a fact-finding Committee to look into the circumstances surrounding the recent killings of some hunters in Uromi, Edo State.

Governor Okpebholo stated this on Thursday when he received a high-powered delegation from Kano State, led by the Deputy Governor of the State, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo at the Government House in Benin City.

The Governor said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not happy over what happened in Uromi and he is determined to ensure the State and nation are safe for everybody to live and do business.

“This incident has opened our eyes and we are ready to address a lot of issues about the country and how to make life better for us all. The president is not happy with what has happened and he wants us to see to the end of this dastardly act.

“The President personally wants to see to the end of this issue. I want to also let you know that the President and Edo State Government have set up a committee to find out the remote cause(s) of the incident and put a lasting solution to the issue.

“This report you have submitted will actually help us so that we do not have to worry you. A lot will be done and made open to the public to know what the committee is doing on the issue.

“We are a peace-loving people in Edo State. We love those living with us in the State. Kano and Edo State have been collaborating in the area of commerce and industry,” he stated.

The Deputy Governor of Kano State, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo appreciated Governor Okpebholo for his earlier visit to Kano.

He noted that the delegation was in Edo State to thank the Governor for the peaceful steps he took when he came to Kano State in regards to the Uromi incident.

“The Governor of Kano State set up a Committee to screen and verify, to establish the names, numbers, next of kin and those who survived the attack. We have been able to carry out these activities and we have come out with a report which we are here to submit to your Excellency.

“You promised us that justice will be done and we believe you on this Mr Governor. We need a transparent process on this issue. Sixteen persons lost their dear lives from five local government areas of Kano State,” he explained.

Present during the visit were the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Honourable Dennis Idahosa; Speaker Edo State House of Assembly, Right Honourable Blessing Agbebaku; security heads in the State, senior government officials, both from Kano and Edo State, among others.

Governor Okpebholo and the delegation from Kano also visited Uromi, where they met with members of Hausa Community in the area”, the news release reads in quote as signed and made available by Fred Itua,
the Chief Press Secretary to the Edo State Governor on Thursday, 10 April, 2025.

We had last month reported that the Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo on Monday visited Kano State to sympathize with the people of the state over the last Thursday killing of travellers at Uromi town in the Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State when some youths in the Edo community that have been experiencing incessant killings and abductions of the villagers by suspected herders stopped a moving Dangote cement truck and found the travellers to be in possession of 19 locally fabricated guns – which some members of the public claimed the travellers were hunters travelling from Port Harcourt in Rivers State to Kano with the guns alleged to be licensed – this, the Nigeria Police Boss, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun apparently dismissed the allegations that the dane guns were licensed, and probably described the victims to be in possession of illegal firearms, and thus, warned and directed anyone in possession of illegal firearms to surrender such to the nearest police station, and directed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department FCID, DIG Sadiq Abubakar to takeover the case, with reports indicating that the 14 suspects arrested in connection to the mobbing and burning to death of the travellers said to be 16 in numbers may have been transfered to Abuja for police investigation.