Edo hunters and Plateau travellers: Are ‘ALL’ animals still equal?

Since the brutal and unequally yoked Biafran war of independence, Nigeria has not witnessed the type of systemic and coordinated killings that we have had in recent times. No thanks to kidnappers who kill or release as the spirit directs, bandits who kill for fun but more for money, and ‘Fulani herdsmen’ who overrun and occupy communities with their scorched earth strategy and operation shock and awe. Armed robbery is no longer current because it is no longer profitable! The Nigerian Bureau of Statistics reported the loss of 614,937 lives to security breaches in one year (Daily Trust, 18/12/24). In the first half of 2025, more than 1000 people have been killed in the killing fields of Benue and Plateau, where regular massacres are the norm. Compare this with the Russian-Ukrainian war, where only 13341 have died since 2022. In effect, we are worse than countries at war, and Nigerians are no longer shocked. Affected communities would bury and mourn their dead and move on with life, mostly as IDPs. It has become the new normal. Official responses anywhere ‘it happens’ are similar. The government would strongly condemn the marauders, the IGP will promise never to leave any stone unturned (all the stones are now in pieces), while the Chief of Defence Staff would assure us, ‘Never again!’

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However, all these changed when some ‘migrant hunters’ were killed in Edo and some travellers in Plateau. Their ‘huntership’ is still in doubt, as they left Sambisa and ALL the northern forests to go hunting in riverine areas. Whatever the numbers are, even if it’s one person, it deserves serious attention and investigation to punish the culprits and prevent recurrence. But the two aforementioned incidents changed our reaction to these things.

“Whatever the numbers are, even if it’s one person, it deserves serious attention and investigation to punish the culprits and prevent recurrence.”

Even the Odi massacre did not receive the type of reactions that trailed the Edo killings of 26/3/25. It was by God’s grace and the begging evangelism of the Edo State governor that it only stopped at a one-sided interregional verbal war. There was the ridiculous spectacle of ‘governor begging governor’ as the Edo State governor begged the Kano governor, the Deputy Senate President, and the victims’ families, offering to ‘pay adequate compensations.’ (He has just reassured us that the compensation process was still in progress). This is the first time I have heard of this type of compensation! The police arrested 14 suspects within 48 hours, while the presidency reacted before the day ended. Atiku (who withdrew his condemnation of Deborah’s murder), Kwakwanso, Arewa Youths, JNI, Northern Elders Forum (who gave a 14-day ultimatum), Muslim Lawyers Association, and Northern Senators Forum were amongst the individuals and organisations who made threatening and condemnatory statements about the unfortunate incident. There was also a ‘hunters are not criminals’ demonstration in Kano.

Before long, it happened in Plateau State, where continuous bloodletting is the norm and the dead, houses burnt, and IDP occupants are uncountable. It has become so much that people no longer shudder. On June 21, 13 travellers were killed in Mangu. The reactions were similar to that of the Edo State incident. Northern governors called for SWIFT action; the Kaduna governor roared, directly reporting to the president, security adviser, and chief of defence staff, and regretting that innocent people were killed, assuring that ‘This will not happen again.’ Sharp-Sharp: 22 perpetrators (not suspects) were arrested, and we learnt that ‘ALL of the travellers would have been killed but for the timely intervention of soldiers’! Good! How many times have they intervened timeously before? Most often the intervention comes after the event! How many of those who caused the ‘June-hem (not mayhem) in Benue and Plateau were arrested? The Plateau governor visited the scene immediately, condemned the incident, reached out to the Emir of Zauzau, and promised to send a high-powered delegation to beg the people and government of Kaduna State. Who had apologised to the plateau state before?

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When I juxtapose the torrid reactions to the murder of the Kano Hunters and Kaduna Travellers, I am left with no other option than to ask, ‘Are all animals no longer equal?’ Why should the reaction be based on the ‘quality’ and pedigree of the victims? What had been the reactions to the Benue and Plateau massacres? Were those burnt to death in their houses not innocent? How did the Northern champions and defenders of the innocents react? Silence or politically correct comments! Is Benue-Plateau no longer a part of the north? Has the governor of Edo State compensated his own people killed by herdsmen before?

Every soul matters, and when people are killed by armed or unarmed mobs, we should react alike because ALL animals are supposed to be equal. Or are all animals no longer equal?

Ik Muo, PhD, Dept. of Bus. Admin, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, 08033026625