A brutal mob attack in southern Nigeria has left 16 people dead after they were accused of being kidnappers, according to police reports released Friday.
The incident occurred in the Uromi area of Edo State, where locals took justice into their own hands after a vehicle stop by security personnel revealed locally made weapons.
Edo State Police spokesperson Moses Yamu confirmed that the victims—believed to be from northern Nigeria—were intercepted by local vigilantes before the mob descended on them. Some of the victims were subjected to a gruesome form of execution known as "jungle justice," with tires forced over their heads and shoulders before being set ablaze.
Graphic videos circulating on social media show the victims being beaten and tortured before they were burned alive, raising fresh concerns over the country’s deepening security crisis and the growing prevalence of mob violence.
Authorities have condemned the killings and promised to investigate the matter thoroughly. Human rights groups have also called on law enforcement to restore public confidence and reinforce the rule of law, warning that vigilante justice is not a substitute for due process.
Mob violence in Nigeria has surged over the past decade. While attacks in the south are often linked to accusations of theft and witchcraft, the north has seen a rise in mob attacks over alleged blasphemy, according to a 2024 Amnesty International report.
In 2022, SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based research group, said there have been at least 391 mob killings in Africa´s most populous country since 2019.
Ten from the group of travelers were rescued from the Thursday attack, which also left two people hospitalized with injuries, Yamu said.
The police spokesperson said 14 suspects were arrested in connection with the attack.