The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has strongly condemned the killing of hunters in transit in Edo State.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau, the CDS described the incident as unfortunate and avoidable, emphasizing that proper notification of relevant authorities could have prevented the tragedy.
Gen. Musa extended his condolences to President Bola Tinubu and the families of the victims. He urged Nigerians to refrain from taking the law into their own hands and instead rely on constituted security agencies for matters concerning security.
He reassured the public that the military, in collaboration with the police and other security agencies, would ensure that the perpetrators of the act were brought to justice.
The Defence Chief further stressed the need for all local hunters and vigilante groups to register with the police, Department of State Services (DSS), military, or other legally mandated agencies regulating the possession of firearms. He also advised vigilante groups to defer to the police for appropriate action when dealing with security threats.
Meanwhile, the Edo State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of 14 suspects in connection with the attack, which occurred on Thursday in Udune Efandion, a community in Esan North Local Government Area.
Sixteen hunters, reportedly traveling from the North for a hunting expedition in Rivers State, were allegedly killed by members of a local vigilance group who suspected them of being kidnappers due to the presence of dane guns in their possession.
