No evidence of retaliatory attack by Hausa group against Igbos in northern Nigeria
IN SHORT: The Nigerian government, politicians and religious groups have condemned the killing of 16 Hausa hunters in Edo state. But we found no evidence to support claims that a group of Hausas attacked an Igbo market and killed six men in retaliation.
On 27 March 2025, 16 travellers from northern Nigeria were killed by a mob in the southern state of Edo.
The victims, who said they were Hausa hunters and were suspected of being kidnappers, were travelling from Port Harcourt to Kano. According to the police, they were attacked after being stopped by a vigilante group.
In this context, several Facebook posts claim that a group of armed Hausas invaded an Igbo market and killed six men in retaliation for the Edo incident.
Part of one post, dated 31 March, reads: "Breaking News: Happening now, at least six Igbo men have been killed and ten others injured as a group of armed Hausa youths invaded an Igbo market in the North, attacking anyone in sight. This attack is reportedly in retaliation for the recent incident in Edo, where Edo youths killed 16 Northern terrorists who had been terrorizing their communities for a long time."
The Igbos are one of the largest ethnic groups in Nigeria. They live mainly in the southeastern part of the country, while the Hausas live mainly in northern Nigeria.
The same claim appears here, here, here and here.
But is it true? We checked.
Lack of evidence
Nigeria has grappled with ethnic clashes for years, with most incidents making headlines. But Africa Check found no credible media reports of such a retaliatory attack against the Igbos in the north.
Some politicians and religious organisations condemned the Edo attack, while president Bola Tinubu ordered a manhunt for the killers. We would expect the same to happen if the claim of a retaliatory attack were true.
The Nigeria Police Force also released a statement on the Edo incident. We searched the police force's X account and website for a statement on the alleged retaliatory attack and came up empty.
Misinformation like this can further fuel ethnic tensions and lead to more deadly clashes.
