The recent visit by Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo to Kano State, where he expressed condolences in Hausa to the families of 16 northerners lynched in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area, has sparked a wave of debate. The incident, which occurred on March 27, 2025, saw a mob set ablaze a group of travelers, mostly hunters from northern Nigeria, after local vigilantes discovered firearms in their possession. While the killings have drawn widespread condemnation, Okpebholo’s decision to travel to Kano, pledge compensation, and suspend his state’s security chief and unregistered vigilante groups has left many questioning his priorities and the message his actions send.
The outrage over the Uromi lynching is understandable. Mob justice is a blight on Nigeria’s rule of law, and the brutal deaths of these individuals—regardless of their intent—demand justice and reflection. However, a glaring question remains unanswered: what were these northern travelers doing with an assortment of weapons in Edo State? Okpebholo’s condolence visit sidestepped this critical issue, focusing instead on appeasing the Hausa/Fulani community rather than addressing the underlying security concerns plaguing his own state. In a nation where non-state actors are not legally permitted to parade with firearms, the presence of armed “hunters” traversing Edo raises suspicions that deserve scrutiny, not silence.
Contrast this with the plight of Edo residents, who have long borne the brunt of alleged attacks by Fulani herdsmen. Farms have been destroyed, livelihoods shattered, and lives lost in clashes attributed to these herdsmen across southern Nigeria, including Edo. Yet, no northern governor has ever embarked on a similar mission of contrition to the South, pleading for forgiveness or offering compensation for the victims of such violence. The asymmetry is stark: Okpebholo rushes to Kano to soothe tensions, while the grievances of his own people—farmers pummeled by marauding herders—remain unaddressed. Where is the justice for them?
Okpebholo’s response reeks of political expediency rather than principled leadership.
His suspension of the Edo State Security Corps Commander, Friday Ibadin, and the ban on unregistered vigilante groups appear less as decisive actions and more as gestures to placate northern sentiments. Rather than acknowledging the role of local security forces and vigilantes in attempting to curb insecurity—however imperfectly—he has castigated them, seemingly to curry favor with the Hausa/Fulani community. This move not only undermines the morale of those tasked with protecting Edo residents but also signals a troubling reluctance to confront the root causes of unrest in his state.
The governor’s trip to Kano, where he spoke in Hausa and promised compensation, can be better be interpreted as a “yes-man’s gesture”—a display of comradeship with a group whose kinsmen have been implicated in reprisal attacks against southerners, including Edo indigenes. This perception is not unfounded.
Reports of herdsmen-related violence in Edo, such as the 2023 siege on over 10 communities in Ovia North-East, paint a grim picture of insecurity that Okpebholo has yet to tackle head-on. His failure to demand accountability from northern leaders for the actions of their “marauders,” as aptly described, stands in sharp contrast to the swift condemnation northern governors issued over the Uromi incident.
As concerned Nigerian my call for a balanced approach resonates deeply on the irrationalities of the approaches. Nigeria’s ethnic and religious diversity demands leaders who prioritize coexistence over appeasement. Okpebholo’s actions, while perhaps diplomatically motivated, fall short of this standard.
A governor’s primary duty is to secure his state, not to plead with others while ignoring the cries of his own people. The question lingers: when will the victims of herdsmen violence in Edo receive their own condolences, their own compensation, their own justice?
The Uromi lynching is a tragedy, but it is not an isolated one. It reflects a broader crisis of governance and security that transcends state lines. Okpebholo had an opportunity to assert Edo’s sovereignty and demand reciprocal accountability from northern leaders. Instead, he chose a path of deference that risks emboldening non-state actors and deepening distrust among his constituents. Edo deserves a governor who stands firm, not one who bends to the winds of political convenience.
