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By Uche J. Udenka
The Uromi 16 tragedy offers a rare opportunity for Nigeria to confront the culture of impunity that protects violent herders and emboldens banditry. The law must be blind to tribe and religion, or we risk losing the republic itself.
The Uromi 16 is more than a tragedy—it is a mirror, reflecting the breakdown of justice and the uneven application of the law in Nigeria. It is a reminder that the rule of law, if applied unevenly or used selectively, becomes a weapon rather than a shield. When citizens are killed and the perpetrators walk free—either because they belong to the “right” tribe or practice the “favoured” religion—we cease to be a nation under law. On paper, Nigeria has one of the most extensive legal frameworks for dealing with violent crimes, terrorism, and communal conflict. In reality, implementation is fractured along ethnic, religious, and political lines. The result is a security crisis that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives—and continues to grow.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, 614,937 deaths were recorded between May 2023 and April 2024 due to violent attacks across the country. The North West, dominated by bandit activity, accounted for 206,030 of those deaths. Despite this horrific toll, many of the perpetrators continue to operate with impunity. Some are known, even celebrated, by their communities. Others have been granted audience with politicians and security officers, as if their crimes were part of a political negotiation rather than a gross violation of human rights.
A System That Protects Criminals
In many Northern states, bandits have been granted informal recognition. State officials have entered into negotiations with known killers—offering them cash, amnesty, or promises of integration. The argument is always the same: “dialogue is better than war.” But what war? And with whom? These are not disgruntled political groups or aggrieved citizens—they are criminals, armed to the teeth, exploiting weak governance and deep-seated ethnic divisions. Meanwhile, in other parts of the country, ordinary citizens who defend their communities against herder attacks are labelled as vigilantes or militants. They are arrested, prosecuted, and in some cases, silenced. Peaceful protest movements in the South or Middle Belt are met with riot police and teargas. Yet, terrorists in the North are given microphones and meetings. This blatant contradiction fuels the perception that Nigeria is no longer governed by a common rulebook. Instead, it feels like we have two legal systems: one for the privileged and protected, and another for the rest of us.
The Deadly Cost of Silence
What makes the situation worse is the deafening silence of many Northern political and religious leaders when violence occurs in other parts of the country. When Southern communities are attacked, far too often, there is no national outrage. There are no condolence visits, no urgent security meetings, no calls for justice. This silence is not just indifference—it is complicity. It sends a dangerous message: that some lives are expendable. That some crimes are acceptable. That as long as the violence does not reach Abuja or Kaduna, it can be ignored. This silence emboldens the killers and disheartens the victims. It is the fertile soil in which impunity grows.
The Law Must Rise Again
The Uromi 16 must not be allowed to fade into the long list of unpunished atrocities. It must become a rallying point for national legal reform—a moment when we collectively decide to restore justice as the highest ideal of our republic. The law must no longer be bent by tribalism or manipulated by political convenience. If a herder kills a farmer, it should be prosecuted with the same urgency and gravity as when a southerner commits a violent act. If a bandit slaughters a village in Zamfara, he should not be given a meeting with a governor—he should be given a courtroom and a fair, speedy trial. Justice must be blind—or it will be meaningless.
What Needs to Happen
To seize this moment, bold and immediate actions are needed from federal and state authorities:
Ban Political Negotiations with Criminal Groups. No state governor or security official should be allowed to enter peace deals with known bandits or terrorists. These deals do not bring peace—they only delay justice.
Establish a Fast-Track Tribunal for Terrorism and Banditry. A special court system with protected witnesses, forensic support, and federal oversight should handle violent crime cases, especially mass killings.
Create a Victim Restitution and Legal Aid Fund. Survivors of attacks and families of victims must be given access to financial compensation, legal representation, and trauma support services.
Enforce Equal Security Protocols Across Regions. The Nigerian military and police must operate under a uniform national code. Regional bias in the deployment of force only deepens resentment and mistrust.
Hold Security Agents and Public Officials Accountable. Any official found to be aiding, ignoring, or negotiating with terrorists should face prosecution under the law.
Publicly Recommit to the Supremacy of the Constitution. All political leaders must make clear—through their actions and words—that the Constitution is supreme. Ethnic, religious, or regional loyalties cannot come before national justice.
The Choice Before Us
The Uromi 16 could be yet another tragedy filed away in the archives of forgotten pain. Or it could be the beginning of a new chapter—a chapter in which Nigeria reclaims its dignity by reclaiming the rule of law. We must decide: will we be a nation where justice is earned only by the powerful, or one where justice is a right guaranteed to all? Will we continue to treat some criminals as victims and some victims as criminals? Or will we finally break the cycle of selective justice? This is not a southern issue. It is not a Christian issue. It is not an Edo or Uromi issue. It is a Nigerian issue. And the time to act is now.
•Uche J. Udenka
Social & Political Analyst.
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