By Sahel Reporters, Bauchi
Families of slain and detained migrant herders in Edo State have petitioned the Nigeria Police Force over the alleged unlawful killing and detention of their relatives by members of a vigilante group operating in Ekoma, Esan West Local Government Area of the state.
The petition, filed through Saraki, Ahmed & Partners, and addressed to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Force Intelligence Department (FID), Abuja, accused the vigilante members of “barbaric and unlawful actions” that led to the killing of two herders and the illegal detention of others, including a university lecturer who assisted them.
The petition, signed by Barrister Hussaini Saraki, stated that the victims Malam Musa Sale (late), Malam Ahmadu Ibrahim (late), and Mr. Yusuf Abubakar, a lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria were lawfully herding cattle in Ekoma on September 9, 2025, when they were accosted by members of the vigilante group.
“Our clients cooperated peacefully with the vigilantes without resistance. Shockingly, without any provocation, they were brutally assaulted. Several fled for their lives while two Malam Musa Sale and Malam Ahmadu Ibrahim were captured,” the petition read.
According to the lawyers, the victims’ families promptly reported the incident to the Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, who directed them to file a formal complaint with the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ekoma Division, for investigation.
However, upon their return to Ekoma, accompanied by Mr. Yusuf Abubakar to assist with the documentation, the group was allegedly arrested and detained by police officers, who falsely labeled them as suspects. They were later transferred to Benin City, where they remain in custody.
Following further investigation, a police team dispatched from Benin was reportedly led by the vigilantes to a site where the remains of Malam Musa Sale and Malam Ahmadu Ibrahim were found confirming their deaths.
The petition described as disturbing the subsequent allegation by police that Mr. Yusuf Abubakar was found in possession of a firearm, dismissing the claim as “False, malicious, and unfounded,” noting that he had voluntarily accompanied the victims to the station unarmed.
Barrister Saraki condemned the incident as a gross violation of fundamental human rights, citing Sections 33 and 35 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), which guarantee the right to life and personal liberty.
He further accused the vigilante group of cold-blooded murder, unlawful assault, and illegal detention, adding that the handling of the case by some police officers “Raises serious concerns of bias and complicity.”
“Vigilante groups across Edo State have increasingly engaged in acts of lawlessness and extrajudicial killings without consequence. A similar case was recently recorded in Uromi, where innocent hunters were killed,” Saraki said.
The petition called on the Inspector-General of Police to order an independent and comprehensive investigation into the actions of the vigilante members operating in Ekoma and direct the immediate release of Mr. Yusuf Abubakar and any other persons unlawfully detained.
They also urged police to ensure the arrest and prosecution of all vigilante members found culpable in the killings as well as investigate the roles of police officers allegedly involved in the mishandling or attempted cover-up of the case.
Barrister Saraki expressed confidence that the Deputy Inspector-General of Police would ensure swift and impartial justice, emphasizing that “The lives of Nigerian citizens, regardless of their occupation or origin, must be protected from unlawful killings and abuse by unauthorized individuals masquerading as community enforcers.”
