The Chairman of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Sokoto chapter, Dr Muhammad Monsuru Aliu, has said it is madness to be calling for a reprisal attack against Southerners in the North over the killing of 16 Northerners in Uromi, Edo State.

MyNigeria reported that the Northerners were killed by a group of vigilantes who accused them of being Fulani kidnappers troubling the community.

The Northerners, who were found with Dane guns, were said to be hunters traveling from Port Harcourt to Kano for the Sallah festival.

Videos shared on social media showed how they were beaten and burnt by angry youths who said they were tired of seeing their farms destroyed and their women raped by the Fulani kidnappers.

Since the video surfaced, many Northerners have condemned the act, while some threatened a reprisal, especially against Christians living in the Muslim dominated North.

However, such utterances were condemned by MURIC in an interview with MyNigeria.

Dr Aliu said, "If they take revenge, there are many Muslims in the South as well. It is complete madness to call for revenge. To revenge against whom? Against Christians living in the north? Against Yorubas and Igbos? So it is complete madness to be speaking of revenge now. The people of Edo, where the killings happened, are neither Igbos nor Yorubas. MURIC has condemned the killing and urged for restraint."

Dr Aliu commended the Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, for traveling down to Kano State to commiserate with the families of the victims.

ASA