The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has demanded justice for the 16 hunters lynched last Thursday in Edo State, and urged the government to take actions aimed at preventing possible recurrence.

The Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, expressed concerns about the lynching in a press statement released in Abuja on Tuesday.

“We at the Commission demand that all the perpetrators be fished out and brought to justice.

“We call on the government to take concrete steps to prevent such incidents in the future, there is no justification for jungle justice anywhere in the world,” the statement read.

The 16 travellers were reportedly lynched after they were mistaken for kidnappers by local vigilantes on Thursday on the Uromi/Obajana Expressway in the Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.

According to reports, the victims were travelling from Rivers State to Kano for Eid-el-Fitr celebration when they were attacked by local vigilantes. The perpetrators flogged the victims and set them ablaze.

The Nigerian Police announced on 29 March that 14 suspects connected to the case, have been arrested.

The NHRC, in its statement on Tuesday, urged the Nigerian government and the public to respect the rights to life and freedom of movement, which were violated in the massacre of 16 people.

He noted that the right to life was enshrined in Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution, Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Both Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Chapter 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria state that the right to life of every individual be respected except when the said person is sentenced to be executed.

Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights goes on further to encourage the abolition of the death penalty.

Also, Mr Ojukwu called on Nigerians to respect the freedom of movement guaranteed by the Constitution, Article 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The incident has garnered national outrage, with prominent individuals and civil society Organisations (CSOs) calling for an investigation and bringing the perpetrators to book.

Amongst them are former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Amnesty International, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and former presidential candidates, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.

On Saturday, Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, ordered the immediate suspension of the commander of the Edo State Security Corps, Friday Ibadin, a retired police commissioner, over the killing of hunters in the state.

In a statement signed on Saturday by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Ikhilor, the governor also suspended all illegal vigilante groups operating in the state.

Their suspension followed a review of the preliminary report of the gruesome killing of some hunters at Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of the state on Thursday, Mt Ikhilor said.

“It is to be reiterated that the local vigilante group involved in the gruesome killing of 27 March was operating illegally and was never profiled or registered with Edo State Security Corps,” Mr Ikhilor said, adding that the actions of the group do not reflect the objectives of the corps.

On a visit to the victims’ families on Monday, Mr Okpebholo pledged to compensate the families of the 16 slain hunters.

He made the compensation pledge when, in company with his Kano State counterpart, Abba Yusuf, he paid a condolence visit to the families of the late hunters at Torankawa in Kano State.

He commended the people of Kano State for remaining calm in spite of the situation.

”I also commend the good people of Kano State and the entire North for not taking the law into their own hands and carrying out reprisal attacks,” he said.

Mr Okpebholo has assured that the perpetrators would face the full wrath of the law.

While urging the Edo State Government to continue its investigation into the matter, Mr Ojukwu commended the governor’s action in suspending the Commander of the Edo State Security Corps and banning the operation of illegal vigilante groups in the state.

He also affirmed the commission’s commitment to monitoring the ongoing investigation.

“On our part, we will continue to monitor the process of the inquiry to ensure that justice is served. This will serve as a deterrent to others.

“Promotion and protection of human rights is paramount to national development, let’s all imbibe the culture of respect for human rights and fundamental freedom to make Nigeria a better place”.