By Prosper Mene
The smell of burning tires still lingers in the air of Uromi, a town in southern Nigeriaโs Edo State, where a mob brutally killed 16 suspected kidnappers last week. For the women of this community, the horrific incidentโwhere victims were beaten and some set ablazeโis not just a headline; itโs a stark reminder of the insecurity that shadows their daily lives.
โWe heard the screams that night,โ said Blessing Osagie, a 32-year-old mother of three who lives near the site of the attack. โI locked my doors and held my children close, praying it wouldnโt come to us. But the truth is, weโre never safeโnot from kidnappers, not from mobs, not from anything.โ Her voice trembled as she recounted the chaos that erupted after local security found weapons in a truck, sparking the deadly vigilante response.
The victims, reportedly northern Hausa hunters, were accused of being kidnappers, a charge that fueled the mobโs rage. While the incident wasnโt specifically about women, it amplifies a broader crisis that women in southern Nigeria say leaves them uniquely vulnerable. Kidnapping for ransom has surged in recent years, with women and girls often targeted for abduction, sexual violence, or forced labor. Yet, the rise of mob justice, as seen in Uromi, adds another layer of terror.
โMen might join the mob or fight back, but what can we do?โ asked Chioma Eze, a 45-year-old trader in Uromiโs bustling market. โIf kidnappers come, weโre the ones they take. If a mob forms, weโre the ones hiding, afraid of being caught in the crossfire or accused of something we didnโt do.โ Eze pointed to the growing distrust in police and government, which she says pushes communities to take matters into their own handsโoften with devastating consequences.
Amnesty International reports that at least 13 women have been victims of mob violence in Nigeria over the past decade, often accused of witchcraft or petty crimes in southern regions like Edo. For women like Eze, the Uromi killings are a grim echo of this trend. โThey say itโs justice, but itโs just more violence,โ she said. โAnd itโs usโwomen, mothers, daughtersโwho pay the price when everything falls apart.โ
The Edo State government has condemned the killings, with Governor Monday Okpebholo vowing to prosecute those responsible. Four arrests have been made, but for women here, official promises ring hollow. โThe police canโt stop kidnappers, and they canโt stop mobs,โ said Fatima Yusuf, a 28-year-old nurse. โWeโre left to fend for ourselves, but how? I canโt sleep at night, wondering if my clinic will be nextโor if Iโll be dragged out for helping the wrong person.โ
The incident has reignited calls from womenโs groups for better security and an end to vigilante justice. โWe need protection, not more bloodshed,โ said Mercy Igbinosa, a local activist with the South-South Womenโs Network. โWomen are raising families in this chaos, and weโre tired of being collateral damage. The government must actโmore police, more patrols, more trustโso we donโt have to live like this.โ
For the women of southern Nigeria, the mobโs actions last week were not a solution but a symptom of a deeper wound. โWe want peace,โ Osagie whispered, clutching her youngest child. โBut peace feels so far away when every day is a fight to survive.โ
