The following is not about a ritual murder or a violent ritualistic act. It gives us an insight into the world of a Yahoo boy and the at times associated belief in the supernatural, the superstition, which also lies at the base of many if not all ritualistic murders. Yahoo boys engage in cybercrime and are notoriously known because of the “419 scam” (named after the Nigerian law’s article making it a punishable crime) or “Nigerian prince scam”.
The reason for including this news article here is to throw some more light on the phenomenon of ‘Yahoo boys’, often mentioned on this site, as well to the pay attention to the general belief in magic by some people. Whether the Yahoo boy in question suffers from a mental illness, as suggested in the article, which may explain his aggressive behavior, is not certain but according to the boy’s father he is a normal person.
It all happened in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
Oyo State is located in located in the South West geopolitical zone of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Federal Republic of Nigeria is divided into six geopolitical zones commonly called zones.
Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones
Ibadan is Oyo State’s capital and its most populous city, and Nigeria’s third (after Lagos and Kano). It’s population is estimated at close to 4 million people whereas in its metropolitan area an estimated 6 million people live, mainly Yoruba but also Igbo, Hausa, Edo and Ibibio from other part of Nigeria.
Oyo State: Yahoo Boy stabs parents as black magic soap fails to yield fortune
Published: January 27, 2024 By: Kalu Idika – NB News Band, Nigeria
Mr Daniel Bamidele, a 20-year-old man suspected to be a Yahoo Boy, has been arrested in Oyo State.
The he was nabbed after stabbing his parents on Thursday, January 25.
The Nation reported that Daniel’s mother, Titilayo, reportedly ran out of their home in Apabielesin area of Ibadan, Oyo State with serious injury, calling for help as her son sneaked into their home and attacked her and his father with a machete.
This attracted bystanders who hurriedly rushed into the house, held Daniel down and dispossessed him of the machete he had used to attack his parents.
Speaking after he had been held down and freed his father from his grip, Daniel explained that he had been earning a living from cybercrime otherwise called yahoo business for some time.
He said his parents were aware that he already built a three-bedroom bungalow from the proceeds of the cybercrime.
Daniel said he had promised that he would get a store for his mother and stock it with goods so she could become a big trader once he recorded a breakthrough.
He added that his mother and elder brother colluded to fleece him of the sum of N2.5 million despite the promise he made to get her a store and stock it with goods.
Daniel said, “I purposely lured my mother from a church programme she was attending, and as soon as we arrived home, I attacked her with a knife and was already inflicting cuts on her body when my father tried to save her from me.
“I attacked my father too because if I had not stabbed both of them, they would have succeeded in killing me.”
Speaking further on his reasons for attacking his mother and father with a knife, Daniel accused his mother of giving him a fake name which rendered useless the magic black soap he had secured from the priest of a white garment church.
He also noted that he made his elder brother his next of kin in his bank documentation but the same elder brother had been trying to play smart with his money.
He said, “I am a 200-level student of LAUTECH (Ladoke Akintola University of Technology) and I have built a three-bedroom bungalow from the money I made from doing yahoo business.
“I am angry with my parents, particularly my mother, for giving me a fake name instead of her real name.
“There is a particular black magic soap that I have been using lately. The soap was given to me by the priest of a white garment church named Mathew.
“I was the one who bought a generator for Pastor Mathew’s church around Ona Grammar School in Ogbomosho.
“The soap was meant to bring me good fortune, but there was the need for me to call my mother’s name into it before it could work.
“My mother told me that her name is Titilayo. But when I called the name into the soap, it did not work. Hence, I got angry and decided to stab her.”
Daniel’s mother, Titilayo, however said she did not collect any money from him.
She said, “I was called on the phone to come pick up my son from school at LAUTECH when he started exhibiting mental illness.
“When we got home, his father brought a native medicine home and gave him to use. He slept off after taking the medicine.
“However, when he woke up, he demanded the whereabouts of his phone and I told him I did not take his phone. He landed several blows on me.
“He is a liar; I did not collect any money from him.”
But Bamidele’s father accused his wife of being in the know of everything pertaining to how his son ventured into yahoo business and how he built a house from the money he made from the fraudulent activity.
“My wife was the one that indulged him (Daniel). She knew when her son started building a house, yet she did not tell me,” he said.
Ibadan: ‘Yahoo Boy’ Stabs Parents Over Failed Black Magic Soap
The internet fraudster, Yahoo boy, Daniel Bamidele who allegedly stabbed his parents
Published: January 27, 2024 By: Leadership News, Nigeria
A 20-year-old internet fraudster, identified as Daniel Bamidele, has attacked and stabbed his parents over his mother’s refusal to reveal her real name, necessary for activating a black ritual soap that was supposed to bring him riches.
The incident occurred in the Bamideles’ Apabielesin home in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, when Daniel, enraged by his mother’s actions, assaulted both his parents with a machete. His mother, Titilayo, managed to escape and raise an alarm, leading to the intervention of bystanders who subdued Daniel and disarmed him.
According to Daniel, his parents were aware of his involvement in cybercrime, from which he claimed to have built a three-bedroom bungalow.
He accused his mother and elder brother of cheating him out of N2.5 million, frustration over his mother providing a false name, which rendered his ritual soap, which he said was given to him by a white garment church priest, ineffective. The soap, he added, was intended to bring good fortune but required his mother’s real name for activation.
“I purposely lured my mother from a church programme she was attending, and as soon as we arrived home, I attacked her with a knife and was already inflicting cuts on her body when my father tried to save her from me,” he said in a report by the Nation.
“I attacked my father too because if I had not stabbed both of them, they would have succeeded in killing me.”
An inspiring and powerful speech of the Oluwo of Iwo, Osun state, who is not afraid to say what’s on his mind, even if this may disturb his fellow traditional rulers. I quote: “Sadly, as we speak, no traditional ruler, as far as I know in Nigeria, is speaking against ritual killing, which is gradually becoming a norm in our present day society. If I may ask again, why are all these things going on and no king is talking about them? Are some of our kings part of these ugly game? Some kings justify so many ugly things pertaining to ritual killings in the name of customs and traditions. What culture and tradition are they talking about?”
He even goes one step further, by directly accusing his fellow kings: “I know these comments will unsettle many kings, still involved in all manner of ritual killings.” Unquote.
It is no small talk what Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi asserts – even though we we may be surprised by certain details.
We should congratulate him with his outspoken views and rejection of the heinous crimes which are the ritualistic killings in Nigeria, also known as ‘money-related rituals’.
“Ritualism is not culture or tradition, as far as I am concerned”, according to the Oluwo of Iwo.
I sincerely hope that many traditional rulers in Nigeria will soon follow his example.
Read below what Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi had to say.
Thank you Oluwo of Iwo! (webmaster FVDK),
Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi Photo/ Facebook/ emperortelu1/ Taosandphotography
Oluwo of Iwo: some traditional rulers behind ritual killings in their domains
Published: May 19, 2019 – 3:07 am By: Gabriel Omonhinmin
On May 7, 2019, at exactly 7.45 a.m., Palace Watch got an SMS from HRM Oba Adewale Abdul-Rasheed Akanbi Telu 1, the Oluwo of Iwo, and the message was “Africans, nay Nigerians are no devils. Yoruba as a people are blessed and our culture and tradition is the best. But what is required now is for all men of goodwill to advocate upgrading of all sectors of our cultural practices to make them more appealing. As a King, I will not stop until I help to make our cultural heritage and traditional values, the envy of the world.”Palace Watch then reached out to Oluwo of Iwo, who shared his thoughts on various national issues.
What brought about the message you sent? The message arose from the pains I currently suffer over the damming issues of ritual killings, kidnapping and other worrisome crimes, which have continued to unsettle most Nigerians and foreigners alike. For how long will all these crimes be allowed to fester unattended to in our society?
This is not the type of society we inherited, and there is no way I will continue to keep quiet like most monarchs across the country over these very worrisome matters. I have resolved to continue with my advocacy over these issues. I know most traditional rulers, who are involved in all manner of rituals will not be happy with me and will not find my advocacy funny. I am, however, determined to ensure our children no longer die unnecessarily over ritual related matters, due to age-long ignorance of ritual killings by kings and their friends or allies.
The act is not only barbaric, but it is also wicked and unacceptable in any civilized setting. We must, therefore, do all within our powers as traditional rulers to make sure African gods or deities that require only human blood are no longer appeased.Just a little over 100 years ago, it was a great woman called Mary Slessor that fought so hard to stop killings of twins in some Nigerian societies because we ignorantly believed then that twins were devils. All twins in Nigeria should eulogise and celebrate Mary Slessor.
Nigerians are dying in thousands daily because of ritual killings. The case of Badoo in Lagos is one singular example of this evil. It is a very good example of money rituals, which have become the common practice in our society. Mind you, the practice is all about shedding of innocent blood. The situation has gotten so bad that children can no longer trust their parents and neighbours, due to societal craze and desperation for quick money.
As if this is not painful enough, most parents, guardians and other relatives are now in the habit of selling their wards and relatives into slavery to places like Italy, Libya, Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries. Some of these children are made sex slaves and in the process killed and unaccounted for.
Other high level crimes are daily committed, due to desperation of seeking greener pastures abroad, which is a mirage. Enough of this. Government must now begin to act and speak up against this type of crime. If not for President Muhammadu Buhari’s quick intervention, innocent blood would have been shed by Saudi Arabian government in the case of little Zainab Aliyu and the 81-year-old man, who were implicated by a desperate drug cartel at Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano. Their lives would have been wasted just like that.
With this type of crime, what precedent are we showing our children, especially the youths? All traditional rulers of good conscience should henceforth rise up and do all within their powers to rid the society of these elements, especially those residing in their domains. They should deliberately continue to do all within their powers to assist law enforcement agents to arrest these elements, no matter how wealthy they are. They are not good examples to any society.
It might not be palatable to most traditional rulers across Africa,especially Nigeria and Yoruba land. But we must henceforth learn to do away with traditional and cultural practices that encourage these types of inhuman practices. We as traditional rulers need to show love and compassion at any given time.
We need to change what we met our forefathers ignorantly doing to harm our society. Such acts are not culture or tradition; they are simply evil that we must do away with. And once we do this, Africa will no longer be regarded as backward and evil by others, especially European countries.
My prayer, therefore, is that any traditional ruler, especially my fellow Obas, who find it difficult supporting this type of noble act of preserving innocent lives, his family members should also experience the pains family members of victims of ritual killings, kidnappings and other violent crimes currently ravaging our society suffer.
The principal reason for placing this curse is simple. There is a common adage in Yoruba land, which says, “The elderly can’t be around and watch helplessly as children go astray or die recklessly in their presence.” Traditional rulers by our customs and traditions, no matter their age, are the elderly in any society. They, therefore, have a role to play to help stem this ugly trend that is not helping our society in any way or form.
We are kings, so we must see everyone in our society as our children, especially the very young and vulnerable. Sadly, as we speak, no traditional ruler, as far as I know in Nigeria, is speaking against ritual killing, which is gradually becoming a norm in our present day society. If I may ask again, why are all these things going on and no king is talking about them? Are some of our kings part of these ugly game? Some kings justify so many ugly things pertaining to ritual killings in the name of customs and traditions. What culture and tradition are they talking about?
I honestly expect my fellow Yoruba Obas to have learnt a lesson or two from the Efon Alaye king, who was hanged sometime in the 60s or early 70s for his complicity in the killing of a young child in the name of rituals. Ritualism is not culture or tradition, as far as I am concerned. That particular incident showed clearly that some of our Yoruba Obas are part of this nonsense. The Efon Alaye Oba was caught, but what about other kings, who are still doing these things and have not been caught? Is it right and proper? We are all sitting down looking in the name of culture, while they are busy killing our children.
And some people call such terrible barbaric acts culture and tradition? It was these types of acts that gave impetus to the money rituals that are almost becoming a norm in our present day society. When will they stop?All these happenings around African countries are contributing to our lack of progress. Mind you, any country that does all these things will never be at peace with itself. These are simply natural reactions that come without any curse. These ugly acts naturally recycle themselves and come with karma. People still have the erroneous belief that karma will never come. Then let’s wait and see, if they don’t stop henceforth, what will happen to them and their generations yet unborn.
I know these comments will unsettle many kings, still involved in all manner of ritual killings. They will hate me more, but I honestly don’t care about how they feel. If this nonsense is not stopped forthwith, what kind of future are we laying down for our children and generations coming after us?
Why do you think Law enforcement agencies, particularly the Police seem helpless? How can the police uncover the crimes, if people are not willing to cooperate with them? Police need lots of information to work with, and the people are not forthcoming with such information, just because they have been hoodwinked in name of culture and tradition.
Just recently, an Oba in the Southwest was to be buried, women were particularly warned not to stray into the town during late hours, otherwise they would be killed. Assuming an illiterate lady that can’t read and write get stranded in that town, what is the guarantee that the innocent lady who is just going about her business would not be killed, to justify one nonsense culture and tradition? Which culture or tradition says that a king or his people should illegally take the life of another person they did not help to create?
With this position, most traditional rulers across the country, especially your fellow Obas from the Southwest, will see you as a rebel. Does this not bother you? I don’t care what they think of me, I am only after the truth. Will I say because of what other Obas, who are mere mortals like me think or say about me, I should not speak against the barbaric acts they are involved in, and which are not helping society? If we choose to keep quiet, what are kings for? What are leaders for? What are the roles of traditional rulers in helping to make society a better place?
My friend, people are free to use their mouths anyhow they like. I am for the truth and will never leave that path, which is pleasing to the Almighty Allah. Nigeria is just like the personal domain of every king. Once traditional rulers begin to genuinely speak against these evils, people involved in these acts will no longer have the liver to continue with their acts. And with this position, the entire country will become safer for all of us.
What is the way forward and how do we stop all these acts? Our message goes out daily to the Obas and kings involved in these ugly acts, but they are not ready to change. The few of us that believe in the truth and the betterment of society will force them to quit the acts that do no one any good. Their alibi is that they inherited these customs from their forefathers, but they fail to realise that their forefathers were not living in a civilized and enlightened society, such as the one we have today.
Most of these secret cults that require human sacrifice, which some of our kings and their people cued into, were never founded by kings. The association founded by kings as a group, is the Assembly of traditional rulers, which is called Council of Traditional rulers in states and local government and the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria at the national level.
Indeed, these groups are voluntary associations of kings across the country, where the welfare and well-being of kings are discussed alongside other issues of national importance. These groups or bodies do not demand any form of sacrifice nor human blood or that of an animal.
So, I am henceforth advocating that we now have bodies that should be known and called for example, the “Yoruba Council of Oba,” an assemblage where all Yoruba speaking Obas should sit down once in a long while and discuss matters concerning the Yoruba nation generally. Similarly, we should have Ijaw Council of Obas, Igbo Council of Obis or Eze, and the Hausa Fulani Council of Emirs.
These groups should be able to meet separately at different times, compare notes about things happening around their areas that are bothering them, and then bring such before the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria. Please, try to get the point I am pushing here. These Yoruba, Ijaw, Igbos and Hausa Fulani Councils of Kings do not in any way invalidate all other existing councils in the Local Government Areas and the states across the country, which meet more frequently than the one I am proposing, which will only meet in a very long while.
If government wants the security situation in the country to improve drastically, it must henceforth learn to empower traditional rulers and traditional institutions. No security system can impact on the ordinary people without the cooperation and collaboration of traditional rulers across the country.
Are you comfortable with the level of funding for traditional institutions by government? Nice to know that efforts are now being made by the Federal Government to channel Local Government Areas’ allocation to them directly. But much as this move is applauded, it will not help the present security situation in the country. The Obas, Obis and Emirs are the Chief Security Officers (CSO) in their domains.
If this is true, then the kings need to be funded. The Federal Government should make provision for a special budgetary allocation for traditional rulers to deal with security needs. This is the way to go. Oftentimes, the kings that are not funded by government are the ones supporting and providing funds and other logistics for the police to fight crimes in their domains.
The Nigeria Police can hardly do anything meaningful without the kings’ cooperation. Honestly, the salaries of Obas, Obis and Emirs are nothing to write home about. If I tell you the monthly salary of a First Class Oba in the Southwest, especially in Osun State where I am, you will be ashamed and scandalised. Yet, so much is expected from these kings. The North is slightly better, but it is still not enough.
Once the government at the centre begins to offer reasonable resources to kings across the country, and they are legislatively empowered to take some actions and decisions, things will naturally improve security-wise across the country. Most criminals see kings as toothless bulldogs that can do little or nothing.
When a king wants to correct criminals in their domains, they go to court, saying the king does not have the power to do this or that to them. But if kings are given some legal backing, most criminals will run away from their domains or decide to behave themselves. Criminals are not ghosts, but there is little or nothing a king can do the way things are now.The government should, as a matter of urgency, formulate policies to criminalise some of these practices. Some kings are hiding behind ritual killings to commit all sorts of atrocities. These acts are nothing but cultural corruption.
