Ghana: ritual murder in the Volta Region, six arrested

Posted on July 14, 2025 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

The victim is a 25-year-old mason, Nelson Anyena, who has been killed in what investigators describe as a ritual murder in Mafi Adidome, Central Tongu District. During an exhumation exercise at a fetish priest’s shrine on July 7, 2025, investigators reportedly discovered two additional unidentified bodies buried at the same location. However, according to other (non-confirmed) reports, police discovered three additional skeletons buried under other idols, as well as scattered body parts in nearby bushes.

In all, six suspects including the fetish priest were arrested.

The horrifying murder case has been widely covered in the media.

Ghana’s Volta Region had a bad reputation where it comes to ritualistic activities including murder. See my previous postings dated April 2, 2024 (Seven arrested for abducting and killing a 12-year boy , a 2021 article), February 13, 2024 (Fetish priest, 2 others nabbed over murder), May 15, 2020 (Two fetish priests engage in ritual killing practices), September 10, 2019 (Alleged killer of an 8-year-old girl arrested) and August 12, 2019 (Simon Kope ritual murder case takes new twist).

Ghana’s Volta Region is one of the country’s sixteen administrative regions. Its capital is the city of Ho. It is located between Lake Volta in the west and the Republic of Togo in the east.
(FVDK)

Warning: The following articles contain graphic details which may upset readers (FVDK)

Lady lures man with romantic encounter only to kill him for rituals

Published: July 14, 2025
By: Armani Brooklyn – GhPage, Ghana

The Volta Regional Police Command has arrested six individuals linked to the murder of 25-year-old mason, Nelson Anyena, in what police describe as a suspected ritual killing.

The incident occurred in December 2024 after Anyena, who had moved from Wusuta to Mafi-Adidome to join his wife, was lured into a trap by Augustina Fiawoyife under the pretence of a romantic meeting.

He was later strangled by two men identified as Wisdom Hedidor and Courage Bedzo.

His body was allegedly sold to a fetish priest for GH¢7,000.

The suspects arrested include:

Augustina Fiawoyife

Wisdom Hedidor

Courage Bedzo

Noah Gblor (fetish priest)

Yohannes Gblor (security guard)

John Gblor (lotto writer)

The breakthrough came following police investigations, leading to the exhumation of Anyena’s body at Noah Gblor’s shrine on July 7, 2025. Two other unidentified bodies were also found at the site.

All six suspects are currently in police custody and have been remanded. They are expected to reappear in court on August 8, 2025.

Police have transported the recovered bodies to the Police Hospital Mortuary in Accra for autopsy and DNA analysis. Authorities say more arrests may follow as the investigation deepens.

The Volta Regional Police Command has assured the public, especially the bereaved family and residents of Adidome, that justice will be served.

Source: Lady lures man with romantic encounter only to kill him for rituals

Man lured by woman, 21, for romantic encounter and killed for ritual

Published: July 13, 2025
By: Peace FM Online – Ghana

The Volta Regional Police Command has arrested six individuals in connection with the gruesome murder of Nelson Anyena, a 25-year-old mason. The arrests took place in Blorkorfe and Awakpedome, both suburbs of Adidome in the Central Tongu District of the Volta Region.

Police investigations revealed that the victim, who had moved from Wusuta to Mafi-Adidome in December 2024 to join his wife, was lured into a deadly trap involving a female accomplice and a fetish priest.

According to a police statement, the suspects include Augustina Fiawoyife, believed to have enticed the victim under the guise of a romantic encounter, as well as Wisdom Hedidor and Courage Bedzo, who allegedly carried out the killing.

The police have also identified the spiritual leader involved as Noah Gblor, a fetish priest, along with Yohannes Gblor, a security guard, and John Gblor, a lotto writer.

Preliminary findings indicate that on 4 December 2024, Fiawoyife lured Anyena to a remote location through a phone call. Once there, Hedidor and Bedzo reportedly strangled him and handed his body over to the fetish priest in exchange for GH¢7,000.

The crime came to light following detailed police investigations and the subsequent arrest of the suspects.

During an exhumation exercise at Noah Gblor’s shrine on 7 July 2025, investigators discovered two additional unidentified bodies buried at the same location.

Police confirmed the recovery of the bodies, which have been transported to the Police Hospital Mortuary in Accra for autopsy and DNA analysis.

All six suspects are currently in police custody and have been remanded. They are scheduled to reappear in court on 8 August 2025 as investigations continue. Authorities say further arrests are possible as they work to uncover the full extent of the criminal network behind the murder.

The Volta Regional Police Command praised the cooperation of the local community and appealed for calm among residents and the family of the deceased. The police assured the public that justice would be pursued rigorously in this alarming case.

Source: Man Lured By Woman, 21, For Romantic Encounter And Killed For Ritual

Six arrested over alleged ritual murder at Mafi Adidome

Published: July 10, 2025
By: Joy Online – source: Albert Kuzor

The Volta Regional Police Command has arrested six individuals in connection with a suspected ritual killing of a 25-year-old mason, Nelson Anyena, at Mafi Adidome in the Central Tongu District of the Volta region.

According to a statement signed by Chief Inspector Francis Kwaku Gomado, Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the Volta Regional Police Command, the deceased had relocated from his hometown, Wusuta in the South Dayi District, to live with his wife at Mafi Adidome in December 2024.

Following weeks of covert investigations and collaboration with local residents, the police apprehended the first three suspects on 26th June 2025.

They include 21-year-old Augustina Fiawoyife, an unemployed woman; 31-year-old herbalist Wisdom Hedidor; and Courage Bedzo, also known as Dzidefo, a 31-year-old Kente weaver.

Further investigations led to the arrest of three additional suspects: Gblor Noah, also known as Ekpedzi, a 42-year-old fetish priest; his brother Yohannes Gblor, aged 27 and employed as a security guard; and John Gblor, aged 40, a lotto writer.

The three were arrested at Mafi Awakpedome.

Preliminary findings indicate that on 4th December 2024, Augustina, acting on instructions from her boyfriend, Wisdom Hedidor, lured Nelson Anyena to a secluded location under the pretext of a romantic meeting.

There, Hedidor and Courage Bedzo allegedly ambushed and strangled him (the deceased).

Investigators believe the suspects carried out the killing on behalf of fetish priest Gblor Noah, who had earlier approached them requesting a human body for ritual purposes in exchange for a fee.

After the act, Noah and his brothers allegedly paid GH¢7,000 to the two attackers and transported the body to a shrine at Blorkope.

On 3rd July 2025, police secured an exhumation order from the Ho Magistrate Court and, on 7 July, retrieved the victim’s body from beneath Noah Gblor’s shrine.

The exercise, led by Volta Regional Crime Officer Superintendent Mr Omari Mic Boakye and supported by Environmental Health Officers from the Ho Municipality, also uncovered two additional unidentified bodies buried at the site.

The remains have been transferred to the Police Hospital Mortuary in Accra for preservation, autopsy, and DNA profiling.

All six suspects are currently in police and prison custody and are expected to appear in court on 8th August 2025.

The Volta Regional Police Command has expressed appreciation for the public’s cooperation and has called on the family and community members to remain calm as investigations proceed.

Source: Six arrested over alleged ritual murder at Mafi Adidome

Ritual murder: Six arrested over death of 25-year-old mason

Published: July 10, 2025
By: Caroaryee – MyNewsGh.com

A 25-year-old mason, Nelson Anyena, has been killed in what investigators describe as a ritual murder in Mafi Adidome, Central Tongu District.

His body was found buried beneath a shrine after weeks of investigation.

Nelson, who had recently moved from Wusuta to live with his wife in Mafi Adidome, was reportedly lured by a young woman, Augustina Fiawoyife, under the pretext of a private meeting.

According to police findings, she acted on instructions from her boyfriend, Wisdom Hedidor, a herbalist.

Together with Courage Bedzo, a kente weaver, they allegedly ambushed Nelson and strangled him to death.

Investigations revealed that the act was carried out for a fetish priest, Gblor Noah, who had promised payment in return for a human body to use for rituals.

After the killing, the priest and his brothers allegedly paid GH¢7,000 and moved the body to a shrine located at Blorkope.

Three suspects—Fiawoyife, Hedidor, and Bedzo—were arrested on June 26, 2025.

This led to further arrests: 42-year-old fetish priest Noah Gblor, his 27-year-old brother Yohannes Gblor, and 40-year-old John Gblor, a lotto writer.

On July 3, the police secured a court order to exhume the body.

During the operation on July 4, not only was Nelson’s body recovered, but two additional unidentified bodies were also discovered buried at the same location.

All the remains have been transferred to the Police Hospital in Accra for autopsy and DNA analysis.

The suspects remain in custody and are expected to reappear in court on August 8, 2025. The police have called for public calm as investigations continue.

Source: Ritual murder: Six arrested over death of 25-year-old mason

Authorities condemn shrine killings in Central Tongu, vows swift justice

Published: July 10, 2025
By: Joy Online, From: GNA

The Central Tongu MP, Alexander Roosevelt Hotordze, and Dodzi Addison Mornyuie, the District Chief Executive, have condemned the discovery of human remains at a shrine in Mafi Gblorkope.

They described the incident as a “barbaric and inhumane act” that has shaken the conscience of the entire enclave.

They made the remarks during a visit to the crime scene on Tuesday, July 8, following a police-led operation that triggered the exhumation of multiple human remains, including the skeletal body of a 28-year-old Nelson Anyana believed to have been murdered for ritual purposes.

Mr Hotordze disclosed to the Ghana News Agency that such acts had no place in the society, and assured the people of Central Tongu that his office in collaboration with the district assembly would not rest until every person involved in the heinous crime was identified, apprehended, and made to face the full rigours of the law.

“This is a horrifying and deeply troubling development,” he added.

He emphasised that justice must be delivered swiftly, not only to honour the memory of the victims but also to restore a sense of security among residents.

“I have tasked the security services to deepen their investigations and act decisively. This is not just about one life lost; it is about safeguarding the moral fabric and peace of our community,” he said.

The MP urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with security personnel, noting that the ongoing investigations were being treated with the utmost seriousness.

Mr. Addison Dodzi Mornyuie also condemned the incident, describing it as “a stain on the conscience of the district” and a clear affront to human dignity and the rule of law.

He called on traditional leaders and local residents to remain vigilant and proactive in reporting suspicious activities, stressing that such heinous acts often thrived in silence and secrecy.

“We must build a community where no one is afraid to speak up and where evil is not allowed to hide under cultural or religious cover,” the DCE stated.

Mr. Mornyuie further assured the public of the Assembly’s full collaboration with the security agencies to bring all perpetrators to justice.

He reiterated that no one would be spared, regardless of social status or influence, and that the Assembly would intensify its community engagement and sensitisation efforts to prevent a recurrence.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service and the National Intelligence Bureau had confirmed to the GNA that three other suspects were in custody.

They said forensic investigations were underway to identify the additional remains and determine the full scale of the crimes committed.

Authorities have encouraged members of the public to volunteer any relevant information that may assist in the ongoing probe.

Source: Authorities condemn shrine killings in Central Tongu, vows swift justice

Six Nabbed Over Ritual Murder, Serial Killings

**The suspects. INSET: One of the suspects with human bones**

Published: July 10, 2025
By: Daniel K. Orlando, Ho – Daily Guide Network

A suspected ritual killing syndicate has been busted by the Ghana Police Service following the discovery of several human remains at a shrine in Gblorkope, Central Tongu District in the Volta Region.

The breakthrough came after months of investigations triggered by a missing person’s report filed on December 17, 2024, by Madam Comfort Hatse, a trader from Donkorkrom in the Eastern Region.

She reported that her son, Nelson Anyana, 28, had left home on December 4, 2024, to meet one Augustina Fiawoyife at Mafi-Adidome and never returned.

Detectives later uncovered a gruesome conspiracy involving Fiawoyife, who was romantically involved with a herbalist, Wisdom Hedidor. The police say Hedidor, consumed by jealousy over Fiawoyife’s continued contact with Nelson, allegedly plotted to murder him for ritual purposes.

Investigations revealed that a local fetish priest, Gblor Noah, popularly known as Ekpedzi, had earlier requested a human body for ritual rites, promising a GH¢7,000 payment. Courage Bedzo, a kente weaver, reportedly relayed this request to Hedidor, who agreed to carry out the act.

On December 12, 2024, Fiawoyife allegedly lured Nelson to a secluded location near the DC Bungalow area in Adidome. While engaging him in conversation, Hedidor and Bedzo emerged and strangled him to death. Fiawoyife reportedly watched the killing without raising any alarm.

The body was subsequently sold to the fetish priest, who was accompanied by his brother, Gblor Yohannes, a lotto writer. The remains were transported to the Gblorkope shrine and buried beneath an idol after performing rituals.

Upon arrest and interrogation, the suspects led investigators to the shrine where Nelson’s remains were exhumed. Police also discovered three additional skeletons buried under other idols, as well as scattered body parts in nearby bushes, raising suspicions of serial killings.

Six suspects have since been arrested. They include Augustina Fiawoyife, unemployed, Wisdom Hedidor, herbalist, Courage Bedzo, kente weaver, Gblor Noah alias Ekpedzi, fetish priest, Gblor John, security guard, and Gblor Yohannes, lotto writer.

All six are residents of Mafi-Adidome and reportedly related to the operators of the shrine.

The suspects were arraigned before the Ho District Court 1 on July 2, 2025, presided over by His Worship Albert Annor Owusu. Prosecutor, Detective Sergeant Kwadwo Otibu-Gyan, informed the court that investigations are still underway, particularly efforts to identify and exhume all remains linked to the case.

The court did not take the suspects’ pleas and remanded them into prison custody to reappear on August 6, 2025.

The disturbing revelations have sent shockwaves through the Volta Region, with residents demanding swift justice and a clampdown on ritual activities in the area.

The Ghana Police Service has assured the public of its resolve to fully pursue the case and bring all perpetrators to book. Authorities are also appealing to the public for information that could aid ongoing investigations.

Forensic experts are currently working to identify the additional victims, as police probe the possibility of more bodies linked to the shrine.

Source: Six Nabbed Over Ritual Murder, Serial Killings

Six nabbed over alleged ritual murder at Mafi Adidome

Published: July 10, 2025
By: Adom Online

The Volta Regional Police Command has arrested six individuals in connection with the suspected ritual killing of a 25-year-old mason, Nelson Anyena, at Mafi Adidome in the Central Tongu District.

According to police, three suspects were initially arrested on June 26, 2025, following weeks of covert investigations and collaboration with residents.

The suspects are 21-year-old unemployed woman Augustina Fiawoyife; 31-year-old herbalist Wisdom Hedidor; and 31-year-old Kente weaver Courage Bedzo, also known as Dzidefo.

Further investigations led to the arrest of three additional suspects:
– Gblor Noah, also known as Ekpedzi, a 42-year-old fetish priest
– Yohannes Gblor, a 27-year-old security guard and brother of Noah
– John Gblor, a 40-year-old lotto writer at Mafi Awakpedome.

A statement signed by the Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the Regional Command, Chief Inspector Francis Kwaku Gomado, revealed that the deceased relocated from Wusuta in the South Dayi District to live with his wife at Mafi Adidome in December 2024.

On December 4, 2024, Augustina, acting on instructions from her boyfriend, Wisdom Hedidor, allegedly lured Nelson Anyena to a secluded location under the pretext of a romantic meeting.

There, Hedidor and Courage Bedzo reportedly ambushed and strangled him to death—an act police investigators believe was carried out on behalf of fetish priest Gblor Noah, who had earlier requested a human body for ritual purposes in exchange for a fee.

After the killing, Noah and his brothers allegedly paid GH¢7,000 to the attackers and transported Nelson’s body to a shrine at Blorkope.

On July 3, 2025, police secured an order from the Ho Magistrate Court and, the following day, exhumed Nelson’s body from beneath Noah Gblor’s shrine.

The exercise, led by Volta Regional Crime Officer Superintendent Omari Mic Boakye and supported by Environmental Health Officers from the Ho Municipality, also uncovered two additional unidentified bodies buried at the site.

All the remains have been transferred to the Police Hospital Mortuary in Accra for preservation, autopsy, and DNA profiling.

The suspects are currently in police and prison custody and are expected to reappear in court on August 8, 2025.

Meanwhile, the Volta Regional Police Command has expressed appreciation for the public’s cooperation and has called on the family and community members to remain calm as investigations continue.

Source: Six nabbed over alleged ritual murder at Mafi Adidome

Six arrested over ritual killing of 23-year-old in Mafi-Adidome; body exhumed by police

Published: July 9, 2025
By: Abigail Teye – Asaseeradio Ghana

The deceased, a resident of Mafi-Adidome, was reported missing on 17 December 2024 by his mother, Madam Comfort Hates, after he left home on 4 December to meet a woman identified as Augustina Fiawoyife but never returned.

Six individuals have been arrested in connection with the brutal killing of 23-year-old Nelson Anyana at Mafi-Adidome in the Central Tongu District of the Volta Region, in what police describe as a premeditated ritual murder.

The deceased, a resident of Mafi-Adidome, was reported missing on 17 December 2024 by his mother, Comfort Hates, after he left home on 4 December to meet a woman identified as Augustina Fiawoyife but never returned.

Police investigations revealed that Fiawoyife lured Nelson to a secluded area under the pretext of a meeting. She was allegedly acting on instructions from her boyfriend, an herbalist named Wisdom Hedidor, who suspected frequent phone calls between Nelson and Fiawoyife.

Further details uncovered a chilling plot involving a fetish priest, Gblor Noah, who had approached a kente weaver, Courage Bedzo, requesting a human body for ritual purposes in exchange for a reward. Bedzo reportedly relayed the request to Hedidor, who then targeted Nelson as the victim.

On 4 December 2024, Fiawoyife led Nelson to a bushy area near the DC Bungalow at Mafi-Adidome, where Hedidor and Bedzo were hiding. As Nelson engaged in conversation with Fiawoyife, the two men emerged and strangled him.

After the killing, the group contacted Gblor Noah, who arrived at the scene with another accomplice, Gblor John, a lotto writer. The body was transported to Gblorkope in Central Tongu, where ritual rites were allegedly performed. The remaining body parts were then buried in a nearby bush.

The suspects—Fiawoyife, Hedidor, Bedzo, Gblor Noah, and Gblor John—were subsequently arrested. Police say the body was allegedly sold for GHC 7,000 for the ritual.

On 2 July 2025, the case was called at the Ho District Court 1, presided over by His Worship Albert Annor Owusu. All suspects appeared without legal representation. Prosecuting, Detective Sergeant Kwadwo Otibu-Gyan told the court investigations were ongoing, especially efforts to locate and exhume the remaining body parts.

The exhumation was carried out on 7 July 2025, with re-interment expected.

The suspects’ pleas were not taken, and they were remanded into prison custody to reappear on 6 August 2025.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the Central Tongu District, with residents calling for swift justice and stronger action against ritual-related crimes. Police investigations are ongoing.

Reporting by Solomon Mensah-Ahiable for Asaase News in the Volta Region

Source: Six arrested over ritual killing of 23-year-old in Mafi-Adidome; body exhumed by police

Volta Region:
Police exhume several dead bodies from shrine, arrest 6 in suspected ritual killing

Volta Region: Police exhume human remains from shrine, arrest 6 in suspected ritual murder case

Published: July 9, 2025
By: Christopher Sededzi Kwame – Pulse, Ghana

The Homicide Unit of the Ghana Police Service has made a major breakthrough in a suspected ritual murder case involving the disappearance of 28-year-old Nelson Anyana.

An intensive investigation led to the discovery and exhumation of multiple human remains buried within a shrine at Gblorkope, located in the Central Tongu District of the Volta Region.

This operation follows a report filed by Comfort Hatse, the mother of the deceased, who informed police that her son had gone missing on December 4, 2024, after leaving home to meet a woman named Augustina Fiawoyife. He was officially declared missing on December 17.

Working with three key suspects, homicide detectives from the Volta Regional Police Command searched a property believed to be used for ritualistic practices.

The team exhumed Nelson Anyana’s body, buried beneath idols at the Gblorkope shrine, confirming suspicions of ritual murder.

The police further uncovered three additional human skeletal remains buried under separate idols at the same location.

Additional human body parts, believed to belong to other victims, were also discovered buried in surrounding bushes, raising fears that the site may have been a hub for serial ritual killings.

Six individuals have since been arrested and arraigned in connection with the murder.

The suspects include:

Augustina Fiawoyife, unemployed

Wisdom Hedidor, herbalist

Courage Bedzo, kente weaver

Gblor Noah, alias Ekpedzi, 37, fetish priest

Gblor John, 38, security guard

Gblor Johannes, 27, lotto writer

The last three, all brothers, are believed to operate the Gblorkope shrine.

According to the police, the murder was orchestrated by Wisdom Hedidor, who had reportedly grown jealous of the deceased’s relationship with Augustina, his romantic partner.

Investigations reveal that around the same period, fetish priest Gblor Noah allegedly requested a human body for ritual purposes in exchange for payment.

Courage Bedzo is said to have relayed the request to Hedidor, who agreed to carry out the killing.

On December 12, 2024, Augustina lured Nelson Anyana to a quiet area in Adidome, where Hedidor and Bedzo ambushed and strangled him, allegedly in the presence of Augustina.

The body was later purchased by the fetish priest and his associate, Gblor Johannes, for GH¢7,000. It was transported to the shrine at Gblorkope, used in ritual practices, and buried under one of the idols.

Following the operation, all six suspects were arraigned before the Ho District Court. They face charges of abetment of crime, to wit, murder, and conspiracy to commit crime, to wit, murder.

Police say forensic analysis is underway to identify the other human remains recovered and to determine if more suspects should be charged.

The shocking discovery has triggered public outrage and fear among residents of the Central Tongu District, with many demanding swift justice and a broader crackdown on suspected ritual networks in the region.

The Ghana Police Service has assured the public of its commitment to fully investigate the case and bring all perpetrators to justice.

Source: V/R: Police exhume several dead bodies from shrine, arrest 6 in suspected ritual killing

Police exhume multiple human remains in Central Tongu shrine

Published: July 9, 2025
By: Adomon Online, From: GNA

The Homicide Unit of the Ghana Police Service has undertaken an operation that uncovered and exhumed multiple human remains buried in a shrine at Gblorkope in the Central Tongu District.

This follows a suspected ritual murder and the disappearance of 28-year-old Nelson Anyana.

The homicide investigation marked a breakthrough in the alleged murder of Nelson, resulting in the discovery of multiple human bones, some buried beneath idols in the shrine.

Six individuals have been arrested and arraigned in connection with the alleged murder of Nelson, who had earlier been declared missing.

The breakthrough came after police detectives from the Homicide Unit in Ho, accompanied by three key suspects, conducted a search of a property believed to have been used for ritual purposes.

The body of Nelson Anyana, who had been missing since December 2024, was exhumed from the Gblorkope shrine, confirming police suspicions of ritual murder.

During the search, police discovered three additional skeletal remains buried beneath different idols at the same location. Assorted human body parts believed to belong to other victims were also found buried in nearby bushes, intensifying suspicions that the site may have been used for serial ritual killings.

The suspects, all residents of Mafi Adidome, are Augustina Fiawoyife, unemployed; Wisdom Hedidor, an herbalist; and Courage Bedzo, a kente weaver.

The others are Gblor Noah, also known as Ekpedzi, a fetish priest aged 37; Gblor John, a 38-year-old security guard; and Gblor Johannes, a 27-year-old lotto writer. The last three, who are siblings, are reported to be operators of the Gblorkope shrine.

According to police investigations, the case began when Comfort Hatse, a trader from Donkorkrom and mother of the deceased, reported him missing on December 17, 2024.

She stated that the deceased had left home on December 4 to meet the first suspect, Augustina Fiawoyife, and never returned.

It was later discovered that Augustina was in a relationship with the second suspect, Wisdom Hedidor, who had grown jealous over her ongoing relationship with the deceased. He allegedly hatched a plan to kill him, which was executed accordingly.

Around that time, the fourth suspect, Gblor Noah, had reportedly solicited a human body for ritual purposes in exchange for a substantial payment.

The third suspect, Courage Bedzo, relayed this request to Hedidor, who agreed to carry out the murder.

On December 12, 2024, Augustina lured the deceased to a secluded area near DC Bungalow, a suburb of Adidome. While the victim engaged her in conversation, Hedidor and Bedzo ambushed and strangled him to death, with Augustina allegedly witnessing the act without intervening.

The third suspect subsequently contacted the fetish priest, who arrived at the scene with the sixth suspect, Gblor Johannes. They bought the deceased’s body for GH¢7,000 and transported it to the shrine at Gblorkope, where it was used in ritual ceremonies before being buried under idols.

Following the recovery of Nelson Anyana’s remains and those of other unidentified individuals, all six suspects were arraigned before a District Court in Ho. They have been charged with abetment of crime to wit murder and conspiracy to commit crime to wit murder.

Police investigators say further forensic analysis is underway based on the new discoveries to determine the identities of the additional victims and file appropriate charges against the suspects.

The discovery has sparked outrage and fear among residents of the Central Tongu District, with many calling for swift justice and a broader investigation into possible ritualistic networks in the region.

The Ghana Police Service has reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing the case thoroughly and ensuring all perpetrators face the full rigours of the law.

Source: Police exhume multiple human remains in Central Tongu shrine

Central Tongu: HumanRemains Exhumed From Shrines in Gblorkope

Published: July 9, 2025
By: Peter Atsu ,reviewed by Samuel Gitonga, Yen – Ghana

A quiet Volta village has been rocked by a chilling case of suspected ritual killing after the discovery of human remains
Three brothers, known in the community, are accused of using human remains in shrines
The suspects include a priest, a lottery ticket retailer and a security guard, all linked to a missing young man

A worrying discovery has rocked the quiet village of Gblorkope in the Adidome North electoral area of the Central Tongu District, where police officers in the Volta Regional Police Command have exhumed human remains from shrines.

The remains are allegedly those of individuals murdered and used in ritualistic practices.

Gblorkope rocked by grief as police discover human remains in a shrine. Photo credit: UGC Source: Getty Images

The operation involved three of the six suspects leading authorities to the sites where the remains were found. According to Prosper Ayikpa, the Assembly Member for the area, the remains, including four human skulls, were recovered from two shrines.

“The remains were exhumed from two shrines. The remains were actually used as the foundation upon which deities were moulded in the shrines. In all, four human skulls were exhumed from three shrines with other human parts,” he told YEN.com.gh in an interview, painting a grim picture of the ritualistic practices involved.

Ayikpa expressed his dismay over the incident, confirming that he personally knew the three suspects, who all share the same father. “The suspects are six, but the three that the police came with are indigenes of my electoral area,” Ayikpa stated, adding that “…they are well-known people in the area. They even campaigned for me to become an Assembly Member, so I know them well,” he said.

He also disclosed the professions of the three suspects: “John Gblor is a lotto writer, his brother Yohanes Gblor works as a security guard, and Noah Gblor is the main traditional priest who runs the shrines with the help of his brothers. They all share the same father. They are brothers,” he said.

How Nelson Anyana’s body was found

According to sources close to the investigations, on December 17, 2024, Comfort Hates, a trader residing in Donkorkrom in the Eastern Region, reported to the Adidome Police that her 28-year-old son, Nelson Anyana, had gone missing after leaving home three days earlier to meet one Augustina Fiawoyife.

The Adidome Police Command launched an investigation and arrested Augustina Fiawoyife.

Information disclosed to a local radio station in the Central Tongu Constituency showed that Augustina was the girlfriend of Wisdom Hedidor, a herbalist with whom she lived in Avakpadome, a suburb of Adidome.

Hedidor reportedly became suspicious and warned his girlfriend to stop receiving calls from Nelson, who frequently contacted her. Around the same time, Gblor Noah, the priest, allegedly approached his friend Courage Bedzo, a Kente weaver also residing in Avakpadome, requesting a dead body for ritual purposes in exchange for a ransom.

Courage Bedzo then ostensibly relayed this request to Wisdom Hedidor, who agreed to the plan.
Both men allegedly conspired to kill Nelson Anyana, the man who often called Augustina. Investigations allegedly showed that Hedidor convinced his girlfriend to lure Nelson to a secluded location, where he would be killed and offered to the priest for money rituals.

Augustina, Nelson meet at an isolated spot On Wednesday, 4 December 2024, at approximately 7:30 PM, Augustina reportedly instructed Nelson to meet her at an isolated spot near a bungalow.

Unaware of the purported plan, Nelson arrived and began speaking with her.

Moments later, Hedidor and Bedzo emerged from a nearby bush and allegedly strangled Nelson to death.

After the suspected murder, Courage Bedzo allegedly contacted Gblor Noah to inform him that the body was ready.

Gblor Noah, accompanied by his brother John, the lotto writer, reportedly arrived and transported Nelson’s lifeless body to their house in Gblorkope.

Parts of the body were allegedly used in rituals within the shrine, and the remaining human parts were buried in a nearby bush.

Efforts to speak with the Volta Regional Police Crime Officer on the matter have so far been unsuccessful.

Source: Central Tongu: Human Remains Exhumed From Shrines in Gblorkope

Police exhume multiple human remains in Central Tongu shrine

Published: July 8, 2025
By: Joy Online, from: GNA

The homicide unit of the Ghana Police Service has undertaken an operation, uncovered and exhumed multiple human remains buried in a shrine at Gblorkope in Central Tongu District.

This followed a suspected ritual murder and disappearance of 28-year-old Nelson Anyana.

The homicide investigation is a breakthrough in the alleged murder of Nelson resulting in the discovery of multiple human bones, some buried under idols in the shrine.

Six individuals have been arrested and arraigned in connection with the alleged murder of Nelson, after being declared missing.

The breakthrough came after Police Detectives from the Homicide Unit in Ho, in the company of three key suspects, conducted a search of a property believed to be used for ritual purposes.

The body of Nelson Anyana, who had been missing since December 2024, was exhumed from a Gblorkope shrine satisfying Police suspicion of ritual murder.

The Police, in their search, discovered three additional skeletal remains buried beneath different idols at the same location, as assorted human body parts believed to belong to other victims were found buried in nearby bushes, intensifying suspicions that the site may have been used for serial ritual killings.

The suspects, all residents of Mafi Adidome, are Augustina Fiawoyife, unemployed; Wisdom Hedidor, an herbalist; and Courage Bedzo, a kente weaver.

Others are Gblor Noah, also known as Ekpedzi, a fetish priest, 37; Gblor John, a security guard, 38; and Gblor Johannes, a lotto writer, 27 (all siblings) and operators of the Gblorkope shrine.

According to Police investigations, the case began when Comfort Hatse, a trader from Donkorkrom and mother of the deceased, reported her missing on December 17, 2024.

She stated that the deceased had left home on December 4 to meet the first suspect, Augustina Fiawoyife, and never returned.

It was later discovered that Augustina was in a relationship with the second suspect, Wisdom Hedidor, who had grown jealous over his ongoing relationship with the deceased and hatched the scheme to kill him, which was executed according to plan.

Around that time, the fourth suspect, Gblor Noah, reportedly earlier solicited a human body for ritual purposes in exchange for a substantial payment.

The third suspect, Courage Bedzo, relayed this request to Hedidor, who then agreed to carry out the murder.

On December 12, 2024, Augustina lured the deceased to a secluded area near DC Bungalow, a suburb of Adidome, while the victim engaged her in conversation, Hedidor and Bedzo ambushed and strangled him to death, with Augustina allegedly witnessing the act without intervening.

The third suspect subsequently contacted the fetish priest, who arrived at the scene with the sixth suspect, Gblor Yohannes and bought the deceased’s body for GH¢7,000, which was transported to the shrine in Gblorkope, where it was used in ritual ceremonies before being buried under the idols.

Following the recovery of Nelson Anyana’s remains and those of other unidentified individuals, all six suspects had earlier appeared before a District Court in Ho, charged with abetment of crime to wit murder and conspiracy to commit crime to wit murder.

Police investigators say further forensic analysis was underway based on the new discoveries to determine the identities of the additional victims and appropriate charges for the suspects.

The Ghana Police Service has reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing the case thoroughly and ensuring all perpetrators face the full rigours of the law.

Source: Police exhume multiple human remains in Central Tongu shrine

The following links to articles from various sources (GhanaWeb, Modern Ghana) provide more information on this spectacular and revolting ritual murder case.

July 13, 2025

Lured by Romance: How a 25-year-old mason was used for ritual

July 11, 2025:

Central Tongu Ritual Murder: Police uncover more human remains in shrine linked to murder of Nelson Anyana

Central Tongu Ritual Murder Probe: More human remains exhumed

Central Tongu Ritual Murder Probe: More human remains exhumed

July 10, 2025:

Family of man murdered for alleged ritual and buried at shrine calls on IGP for justice

Suspected Rivalry: How Central Tongu ritual killing was plotted and executed

Central Tongu: Six arrested over ritual murder, serial killings

July 9, 2025:

Ghana Police Homicide Unit Uncovers Grisly Ritual Killings in Volta Region Shrine

Central Tongu: Police exhume multiple human remains in shrine

Ritual killings: Multiple human remains uncovered at Mafi Gblorkope shrine cringes Central Tongu residents

Source: The Homicide Unit of the Ghana Police Service has achieved a significant breakthrough with the discovery and exhumation of multiple human remains at a shrine in Gblorkope, Central Tongu District, Volta Region. The operation was launched following the suspected ritual murder of 28-year old Nelson Ayana, who went missing in December 2024. Source: GhanaWeb

Nigeria: Enugu’s fight against ‘juju’ man

Posted on June 23, 2025 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

The article below is from my heart. I will resist the temptation to quote from it, with one exception, the last sentence:
It is time we put an end to these criminal and barbaric practices.

Also read my previous – yesterday’s – post.
(FVDK)

Enugu’s fight against ‘juju’ man

Published: June 18, 2025
By: Editorial, This Day – Nigeria

The society must be united against barbaric acts.

To stem the tide of the get-rich-quick syndrome that has become a national menace, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State is taking the battle to spiritualists of various shades and nomenclatures. These ‘native doctors’ are believed to be driving the surge in ritual killings, kidnapping, robbery, internet and advance-fee fraud, among others. Although such reports have become rampant across the country, the Enugu approach includes pragmatic steps to execute existing laws while also taking proactive legislative steps to mitigate future occurrences.

Driven largely by ignorance and poverty, the bizarre practice of killing for rituals has become commonplace in Nigeria. So rampant is the crime that in many cosmopolitan cities like Lagos, Ibadan, Enugu and Port Harcourt, there is a growing group of desperadoes murdering innocent people, particularly women, children and sometimes the physically challenged, for ritual purposes. These murderers, sometimes called head-hunters, go to any extent in search of body parts. Due to these nefarious activities, ritual killing is said to account for many missing people in the country. That is the menace that the Enugu State government has chosen to confront.

Mbah’s intervention followed the rescue of an 11-year-old boy from a notorious ritualist in the state in whose house were discovered many dead bodies, including that of a pregnant woman. In line with Section 315 (Second Amendment) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 30, Laws of Enugu State, the suspect is now in police custody. Mbah has equally initiated the ‘Maintenance of Internal Security, Vigilance and Order Bill’ to checkmate criminal activities among native doctors, herbalists and related persons in the state. The proposed legislation, while making registration with the government mandatory for anyone who claims to render spiritual services, outlaws outright money rituals, and criminal bulletproof charms. It also prescribes 20-year jail term without an option of fine for anyone, who performs, facilitates, demands, directs, or participates in any ritual or traditional practice involving the use of human parts.

Again, where a person claims spiritual powers under this law, the burden shall lie on such a person, during investigation, to provide reasonable proof of the purported supernatural abilities claimed. Going further, the Bill places obligations of surveillance and crime reporting on communities, traditional rulers and Presidents-General of towns, failing which they will henceforth be deemed as accomplices in illicit spiritual services. Landlords and proprietors of hotels, guest houses, and estate associations are to obtain and transmit valid means of identification and other details of their prospective tenants and guests to the relevant authority.

Even though the belief lacks common sense, perpetrators of rituals indulge in these bestial acts for the purpose of making ‘instant wealth’ or what some have aptly dubbed ‘blood money’. Many students of tertiary institutions in the country are also now involved in what is called, ‘Yahoo Plus’ with the aid of these rituals. Meanwhile, it is difficult to prove that these sacrifices, done at the instruction of some crafty traditional medicine practitioners and witch doctors, can catapult people from penury into instant wealth.

We endorse the approach by Enugu State. But beyond legislation, the society must be united in taking a stand against the perpetrators of these evil acts and the increasing erosion of our values, which indeed recognise and place hard work, rectitude, and morality way above riches and power. The churches, mosques, and traditional institutions must revive the crusade against money worship and illicit affluence as were the days of old. There is also an urgent need for enlightenment campaigns to put a lie to the erroneous belief that money can grow out of the body parts of murdered people. It is time we put an end to these criminal and barbaric practices.

Source: Enugu’s fight against ‘juju’ man

Nigeria records 150 ritual killings in 6 months, experts call for urgent action

Posted on June 22, 2025 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

Although the following article dates from early this year (January 30), its contents warrants presentation here.

Nigeria is notoriously known for its ritual murders, locally called ‘money rituals’, and I’ve included many news reports on ritual murder cases on this site. Nevertheless, the following is worth reading.

What makes the article even more harrowing is the, presumably, big gap between reported ritual murders and actual ritualistic murders. In Nigeria as well as elsewhere on the African continent, an unknown but significant number of people disappear without trace every year.

Warning: the following article may disturb readers because of its graphic contents.
(FVDK)

Nigeria records 150 ritual killings in 6 months, experts call for urgent action

Kaduna, Kano, Katsina residents seek death sentence for ritualists, cannibals

Published: January 30, 2025
By: Pulse, Nigeria

NAN reports that the police have apprehended many of the ritualists including a man who killed his mother, grandmother, sister and her son in Enugu.

A security expert, Mr Seyi Babaeko has raised concerns over the surge in ritual killings in the country, calling for urgent measures to address the trend.

Babaeko, the Managing Director of Absolute Security and Advance Protocol Ltd. expressed his feelings in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that over 150 ritual killing cases were recorded in Nigeria in the past six months.

NAN reports that the police have apprehended many of the ritualists including a man who killed his mother, grandmother, sister and her son on November 27 in the Amaeze community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The Ogun Police also apprehended twin brothers for alleged murder and dismembering of a lady after luring her to their Abeokuta residence on December 22.

Similarly, a local church operator allegedly killed a 55-year-old widow on November 6, in her apartment at Umuediabali community in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA of Imo. He cut off her private organs and her breasts.

Also, the police apprehended a man, 29, who killed his mother on Christmas Day, shaved her hair and dumped her body in a well in Batriko, Eastern Boki LGA of Cross River State.

According to Babaeko, the rise in ritual killings in Nigeria is a disturbing trend that reflects deeper socio-economic, cultural, and security challenges.

He said that the growing desperation for wealth, widespread belief in supernatural influences on success, and the erosion of moral values had fueled the menace.

FURTHER READING: Ritual killings among Nigerian youth: what parents, govt could do (Pulse contributor’s opinion)

Economic hardship, high unemployment rates, and the glamorisation of sudden wealth in society have pushed many, especially young people into desperate and criminal actions.

The responsibility for the increase is multifaceted. While individuals who perpetrate these crimes are primarily to blame, societal values and institutional failures also contribute

According to him, the media, particularly social media, often amplifies stories of young people acquiring wealth mysteriously, indirectly encouraging others to seek similar paths.

The expert said that some traditional and religious leaders, who should condemn such acts, remain silent or complicit.

He said that the law enforcement agencies, which should deter such crimes through swift investigations and punishments, had not been proactive enough in tackling the issue.

The failure of law enforcement to track and punish offenders effectively contributes to the increase, he added.

He urged the government to take urgent steps to address the growing insecurity.

Nigeria records 150 ritual killings in 6months, experts call for urgent action

Expert raises concern over rising cases of ritual killings in Nigeria.

The government should strengthen the criminal justice system to ensure swift prosecution of offenders is critical. He stated;

Security agencies must intensify intelligence gathering and surveillance to dismantle networks involved in ritual killings.

Public enlightenment campaigns should be launched to counter the belief that human sacrifice leads to wealth.

Additionally, economic policies should prioritise job creation, as financial stability will reduce the desperation that drives some individuals toward such crimes

According to him, a coordinated effort among stakeholders is necessary to curb the menace and restore security across the country. He noted;

Community and religious leaders must play a more active role in addressing the root causes of ritual killings.

Traditional institutions should publicly denounce these practices, while faith-based organisations should emphasise ethical means of achieving success.

Schools must incorporate moral education into their curricula to instil strong values in young people.

Parents also have a role to play in guiding their children away from negative influences.

Tackling ritual killings requires a holistic approach that combines strong law enforcement, economic empowerment, community engagement, and a reorientation of societal values.

Source: Nigeria records 150 ritual killings in 6months, experts call for urgent action

A wave of ritual killings: Eswatini, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe

Posted on June 6, 2025 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

Warning: the following post contains graphic details which may upset readers.

Unbelievable. It is incredible. Within a week I receive reports of ritual killings in Eswatini, Nigeria (Enugu and Kwara states), South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe. I fear the reported cases are only the tip of the iceberg as many ritual murders – called muthi murders in Southern Africa, and money rituals in Nigeria and Ghana – go unnoticed. People simply disappear in many African states and they are never heard from again. ‘Dissolved in thin air.’

In Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland), this year alone, more than a dozen children have reportedly fallen victim to suspected ritual killings.

Nigeria holds the sad record of highest number of (reported and suspected) ritual murder cases in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Enugu state is under the spell of a sensational ritual murder case: The Double Life of Uche Kingsley Agumba: Church Devotee by Day, Murderous Ritualist by Night.

In Kwara state, Abdulrahman Bello confessed murdering a 24-year-old final year female student of the Kwara state College of Education, Ilorin, Hafsoh Lawal, for ritualistic purposes (‘money ritual’).

Readers interested in the link between money rituals and traditional African religions are advised to read the article Money rituals and our African traditional religions, by Abimbola Adelakun.

In South Africa, a 14-year Roodespoort teenager, Lokhona Fose, was discovered dead, mutilated, in a suspected case of ritual murder.

In Uganda, a former education officer was arrested in a suspected ritual sacrifice case, police exhumed the victim’s body, which was buried in a shallow grave at the home of former Jinja City Education Officer Amina Mutesi.

In Zimbabwe, a baby boy was found dead, murdered. The body of the eight weeks old victim was found with parts missing: his nose and right cheek were ripped off. Police are investigating the murder as a suspected ritual killing.

To be continued.
(webmaster FVDK)

Child killings including ritual murder in Cameroon (2022-2025)

Posted on May 15, 2025 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

Cameroon isn’t often in the news with respect to ritualistic killings. As a mainly Francophone country, it escapes my daily search for Internet news about ritual killings in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, this does not mean that the country is an exception in SSA.

Almost by accident I stumbled upon a suspected case of ritual murder and another case of a child beaten to death after being accused of witchcraft. Horrible cases, senseless killings.

Both incidents happened in 2023 as the following report shows.

The article ends with a cry for justice, condemning the present situation of silence becoming the norm in this Central African country.
(webmaster FVDK)

A nation in mourning – innocent lives lost to senseless violence

Published: May 14, 2025
By: Cameroon Concord

(…)

From urban centres like Douala and Yaoundé to towns like Sangmélima and Bamenda, child killings have become a recurring and underreported national crisis.

Chronology of Recent Child Murders in Cameroon (2022–2025)

Date	Name / Age	Location	Summary
Nov 2022	Baby Bisong, 4 mo.	Buea	Killed by a stray bullet during military patrol in Molyko.
Jan 2023	Ariane, 6	Yaoundé	Allegedly beaten to death by her aunt, accused of witchcraft.
Mar 2023	Baby Divine, 7 mo.	Bamenda	Shot during military raid. Claimed to be collateral.
Aug 2023	Unnamed, 8	Kribi	Found mutilated on the beach. Suspected ritual murder.
Oct 2023	Baby Chantal, 2	Douala	Murdered by domestic worker. Arrest made.
May 2025	Mathis, 6	Yaoundé	Stabbed by neighbour in revenge killing.
May 2025	Unnamed, 2	Sangmélima	Found dead in water. Authorities refused to open an investigation.

Each case bears a similar theme: impunity, silence, and failing institutions. Whether by bullet, blade, or beatings, children are paying the ultimate price in a country where violence festers unchecked.

(…)

Cameroonians are asking hard questions:

Why are more disputes ending in bloodshed?
Why does poverty, anger, and hopelessness often turn inward — toward the most vulnerable?
Why do authorities fail to act, even when evidence and outcry are overwhelming?

From ritual killings, domestic abuse, military violence, to mob justice, a terrifying normalization of brutality is taking hold.

“Le crime devient une norme silencieuse. La peur habite les esprits. L’indifférence gagne les cœurs.”

Translation:

“Crime becomes a silent norm. Fear inhabits our minds. Indifference wins our hearts.”

Source: A Nation in Mourning

South African horror: boy’s dismembered body found after alleged sale by parents

Posted on May 5, 2025 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

A horror story in South Africa. Reportedly, a small boy was sold by his parents and his dismembered body found a few days later. Immediately a ‘muti’ murder was suspected, a child sacrifice, a murder for ritualistic motives. Too gruesome to imagine. Southern Africa including the RSA is notorious for its muti killings even while not all cases are detected and not all detected cases are recorded.

There is certainly a link between poverty and child trafficking; the suspected combination with superstition was deadly in this case. The authorities fortunately acted quickly and arrested two suspects, the mother of the little victim and her boyfriend. According to the police, the suspects sold the child for for12,000 rand (about US$ 655 or a little less than € 600).

However, the well-known saying applies here: ‘prevention is better than cure’.
The one-million-dollar-question is: how?

Will the eradication of poverty be the problem-solving solution? Or is more needed? After all, not all ritual murderers are poverty-stricken criminals….
(Webmaster FVDK)

South African horror: boy’s dismembered body found after alleged sale by parents

Published: May 4, 2025
By: Nigerian Bulletin

A disturbing case has shaken South Africa: a 3-year-old boy was reportedly sold for ritual purposes by his mother and her boyfriend. His dismembered remains were discovered days later, igniting national outrage.

KEY POINTS:

Gruesome Discovery: The boy went missing on April 23. Authorities later found his body dismembered, suggesting he was killed for ritualistic purposes.
Family Betrayal: Police allege the child was sold by his mother and her boyfriend for 12,000 rand (about ₦950,000).
Public Shock: The case has horrified communities and drawn attention to the link between poverty, belief in rituals, and child endangerment.
Swift Arrests: Both suspects were quickly taken into custody and now face charges of murder and human trafficking.
Larger Pattern: The incident sheds light on an ongoing crisis — ritual killings and child trafficking continue to plague parts of the continent.

The horror isn’t just in the killing – it’s in the betrayal. Many are struggling with the idea that a mother could willingly sacrifice her child. It’s a sobering reflection of how desperation and superstition can corrode moral foundations.

As legal proceedings begin, South Africans are asking: What will it take to end the cycle of ritual killings? Can justice extend beyond punishment to prevention?

Source: South African Horror: Boy’s Dismembered Body Found After Alleged Sale by Parents

Important study explores ritual murders of children in Ghana and Kenya, identifies perpetrators and their motivation

Posted on April 17, 2025 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

There are not many in-depth studies of the phenomenon of ritual murders and even less of the killing of children for ritualistic purposes. The article below discusses the ritual murder of children in Ghana and Kenya, examines who the perpetrators are and why they came to their crime.

The study by Emmanuel Sarpong Owusu is a must read. The author is to be commended for a serious and interesting study.

Interestingly, a number of the author’s findings and conclusions – based on online news reports in eight media outlets in Ghana and Kenya and on interviews with 28 experts – are consistent with my experiences after years of studying ritual killings in Sub-Saharan Africa. In particular I wish to mention here the main factors driving the motivation of the majority of the ritual murderers: superstition, greed and illiteracy, whereas the for various reasons failing reaction of authorities and the resulting lack of rule of law facilitate the impunity and the continuity of the cruel and outdated phenomenon.

According to the study, in Ghana, the media reported at least 160 ritual murders between 2012 and 2021. Of this number, 94 (about 58.8%) were children. Of the 102 ritual murders in Kenya in the study period (2012-2021), 66 (64.7%) were children.

I refer to the study below for more details. Please note that, unfortunately, three links in the original article seem to be incorrect: (i) ‘juju in Ghana’ leads to general information on juju (link should be placed under ‘juju’); (ii) ‘juju in Kenya’ leads to nowhere; (iii) reference to members of occult sects leads to ‘juju in Kenya’.
(webmaster FVDK).

Ritual murder of children: study in Ghana and Kenya explores who’s doing it and why

Published: April 15, 2025
By: Emmanuel Sarpong Owusu – The Conversation, UK

Superstition, an irrational belief in paranormal influences or a false attribution of events, is an age-old phenomenon found in probably all human societies or cultures. It encompasses a wide range of beliefs, practices and behaviours. Some of these have harmful or even deadly consequences.

In many African communities, there are widespread beliefs relating to the use of human body parts for traditional healing rituals. Human body parts and blood are said to enhance the potency of traditional medicines and rituals that supposedly guarantee wealth, business success, fertility, protection and longevity, among others.

Ritual killings, including those of children, are reported regularly around Africa. A case in point is the targeting of children with albinism for ritual purposes in Tanzania. One research report says one in five people in Mozambique and one in four people in South Africa believe that rituals and traditional medicines made with human body parts are more potent and effective than those using nonhuman objects.

Children are particularly targeted for killing because they can’t repel attacks, and because of beliefs about the potency of their body parts. The victims in more than half of all the ritual murders reported in Ghana and Kenya in 2022 were children.

I am a legal scholar with years of research on superstition-driven crimes against vulnerable groups in African settings and the criminal justice response to such crimes. In a recent study I explored the magnitude, characteristics and motivations, as well as the socio-cultural and economic contexts, of ritual child murder in Ghana and Kenya. My study was carried out through in-depth analysis of news reports of ritual murders for a period of 10 years, coupled with semi-structured interviews with academics and other experts.

I found that the major factors contributing to the persistence of ritual child murders were superstition, economic hardship, illiteracy and inefficient criminal justice systems. A new consumerist ethos also plays a role: wanting a life of luxury and the admiration that comes with it.

The study seeks to enhance awareness of the ritual child murder phenomenon and encourage support for the enforcement of child rights protection laws. When policymakers know more about the scale and circumstances of ritual child murders, they are better equipped to act on it.

Ritual murders in Ghana and Kenya

Belief in juju is widespread in Ghana and Kenya. This is the belief that people can mystically control events by using incantations (“magic words”) and, sometimes, objects.

My study analysed data drawn from online news reports in eight media outlets in Ghana and Kenya. I used media content because the countries don’t have national data sets on ritual homicide, and empirical research is limited. Secondly, I interviewed 28 experts in criminology and criminal justice, sociology, African religions, and child and family welfare and social protection. These participants were selected using the purposeful sampling technique.

In Ghana, the media reported at least 160 ritual murders between 2012 and 2021. Of this number, 94 (about 58.8%) were children. This suggests that an average of 9.4 children fall victim to ritual murder each year in the country. Of the 102 ritual murders in Kenya in the study period, 66 (64.7%) were children. This represents an annual average of 6.6 in the country.

In both countries, most victims (over 80%) tend to be drawn from families of low socio-economic backgrounds in rural and semi-rural communities. In Kenya, children with albinism are also targeted.

The overwhelming majority of offenders are males. There are three main categories of perpetrators of ritual child murders:

the juju practitioner or traditional healer who usually prescribes the required body parts and effects the medicine or ritual
the client who consults traditional healers and stands to benefit directly from the ritual or medicine
the (hired) ritual murderer, who abducts the victim and extracts the required body parts.

Data from media reports show that most of the perpetrators apprehended are those directly involved in the killing. They are usually aged between 20 and 39 years and of low socio-economic status in rural communities. However, some interviewees insisted that some rich and prominent persons are also involved.

In Ghana, uncles, fathers and stepfathers were the dominant perpetrators in cases where victims and perpetrators were known to be related. Unlike other types of homicide, ritual child murder generally involves strangers nearly as often as it involves family members and acquaintances.

Motivations and responses

The dominant motivation for ritual murder is financial gain. This conclusion is drawn from the media accounts and the interviews. Perpetrators are promised money in exchange for specific human body parts. Others kill to use the body parts for rituals that are supposed to ensure a long life, fertility, business growth, or protection against evil. In Kenya, some perpetrators kill in fulfillment of their obligations as members of occult sects.

Other factors that sustain the practice – based on media reports and interviews – are superstition, unemployment and economic hardship. Adding to these are illiteracy, which fosters unfounded beliefs, and an inefficient criminal justice system, which enables these crimes to thrive.

Poor parental supervision is an important risk factor for ritual child murder. In both countries, over 70% of the ritual murder victims were under 10 years old. They were abducted or murdered while going to or returning home from school. Others were abducted while running errands such as fetching water from a stream unaccompanied. Some may have been playing outside their homes unsupervised, or running errands by themselves for relatives.

In both countries, the criminal justice system’s response is evidently ineffective. In Kenya, over 90% of perpetrators are not apprehended. Of 68 suspects arrested in Ghana, only four convictions were reported. Crime scenes are poorly managed and preserved by police officers and detectives in both countries.

Crime scene videos show the victims’ remains being removed by authorities and conveyed to the morgue without diligent forensic examination of the body and the crime scene for evidence.

What governments can do

The belief in the power of juju and associated rituals and medicines cannot be wished away. It can only be combated in various ways:

bringing the activities of traditional healers and occult-related sects under closer scrutiny
promoting education and awareness, emphasising the need for supervision of children
stronger criminal justice systems.

Source: Ritual murder of children: study in Ghana and Kenya explores who’s doing it and why

Amnesty International – Ghana: hundreds accused of witchcraft urgently need protection and reparation

Posted on April 16, 2025 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

Belief in witchcraft is widespread on the African continent. Amnesty International recently released a report highlighting the situation in Ghana, in particular in the northern part of the country, but accusations of witchcraft and attacks on persons accused of being witches, in particular elder women, are – I dare say – common in many African communities, in rural areas as well as urban centers. See my previous posts on the subject.

Authorities often fail to react adequately on these human rights violations. It is not rare that even those occupying responsible positions in society also belief in witchcraft, joining violators in stead of protecting vulnerable victims.

As Amnesty International emphasizes in its report, root causes must be addressed. Genevieve Partington, Country Director Amnesty International Ghana pleads for an active role of governments in combatting this evil:

“The government should establish a properly resourced long-term national awareness campaign challenging cultural and social practices that discriminate against women and older people, including witchcraft accusations.”

Read the full story below.

NB The full title of the Amnesty International report is ‘Branded for life: how witchcraft accusations lead to human rights violations of hundreds of women in north Ghana’.
(webmaster FVDK)

Witchcraft accusations putting hundreds at risk of “physical attacks or even death” in Ghana, Amnesty says

Published: April 14, 2025
By: CBS BNews (CBS/AFP)

Hundreds of people suspected of witchcraft in Ghana, especially older women, face rampant human rights abuses including murder, Amnesty International said Monday, asking the government to criminalize accusations and ritual attacks.

In 2023, the Ghanaian parliament passed a bill making it a criminal offense to declare, accuse, name or label someone as a witch but the bill is yet to be signed into law.

“The accusations, which can lead to threats, physical attacks or even death, usually start within the family or among community members following a tragic event such as an illness or a death,” Amnesty said.

“Older women living in poverty, with health conditions or disabilities are at greater risk, as well as women who do not conform to stereotypical gender roles. In some cases, accusers even base their claims on having had a bad dream about a person,” it added.

The majority of victims are “marginalized individuals, particularly older women,” in areas in the country’s northern and northeastern regions, the report said.

Belief in witchcraft remains common in many rural communities along the west African coast, including Ghana, and elsewhere in the continent. Earlier this year, two men in Zambia were charged with practicing witchcraft and possessing charms intended to harm the country’s president.

People accused of witchcraft are usually banished from their home areas and in Ghana they seek refuge in camps run by traditional priests “where they remain until they die or a family member or another community accepts them,” the rights monitor said.

Amnesty said Ghana had not done enough to protect victims, stressing the need for a sensitization campaign in vulnerable areas.

It also said the government had failed to “ensure access to adequate food, safe housing and clean water” for people living in these camps.

Partington is also a member of the Coalition Against Witchcraft Accusations, an association set up following the lynching of a 90-year-old woman in July 2020 in northern Ghana.

Similar attacks occur in other parts of Africa.

Eight women blamed for the death of two ailing boys in Guinea Bissau last year were forced to drink poison and died.

Also last year, two women in their sixties were publicly stoned and their bodies burnt in the Democratic Republic of Congo for allegedly causing the deaths of several people.

This is a reflection of how “we treat elderly people,” Leo Igwe, founder of Nigeria-based non-profit Advocacy for Alleged Witches, told AFP.

Samadu Sayibu of Ghana’s rights group Songtaba, said it also “highlighted issues such as gender and poverty.”

Belief in witchcraft is also common in some rural communities in Angola despite strong opposition from the church in the predominantly Catholic former Portuguese colony. Last year, police said about 50 people died in Angola after being forced to drink an herbal potion to prove they were not sorcerers.

During a 2009 trip to Angola, Pope Benedict urged Catholics to shun witchcraft and sorcery.

Source: Witchcraft accusations putting hundreds at risk of “physical attacks or even death” in Ghana, Amnesty says

The original Amnesty International article:

Ghana: Hundreds accused of witchcraft urgently need protection and reparation

Published: April 14, 2025
By: Amnesty International

The Ghanaian authorities have failed to protect and fulfil the human rights of hundreds of victims of witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks that forced them to flee their communities fearing for their lives, said Amnesty International in a new report.

“Branded for life: How witchcraft accusations lead to human rights violations of hundreds of women in North Ghana”, documents the situation across four informal camps where accused people, primarily older women, are currently living with insufficient access to health services, food, safe housing, clean water and economic opportunities. At the time of Amnesty International’s visits in November 2023 and April 2024, more than 500 people were residing in the camps.

Click here to download the Report

“Witchcraft accusations and related abuses infringe on a person’s right to life, to security, and to non-discrimination. This deeply rooted and prevalent practice has led to untold suffering and violence. While the belief in witchcraft is protected under international law, harmful practices that stem from the belief are not and those impacted need protection and reparation,” said Michèle Eken, Senior Researcher at Amnesty International.

“He doesn’t want me [in the community], that’s why he accused me”

The accusations, which can lead to threats, physical attacks or even death, usually start within the family or among community members following a tragic event such as an illness or a death. Older women living in poverty, with health conditions or disabilities are at greater risk, as well as women who do not conform to stereotypical gender roles.

In some cases, accusers even base their claims on having had a bad dream about a person.

They always have plans of putting allegations against you, especially if you are hardworking and are still strong and doing well as a woman.A resident of the Kukuo camp

“My neighbour said he dreamt […] that I was trying to kill him. He doesn’t want me [in the community], that’s why he accused me,” said Fawza*, resident of Gnani camp. “I refused for the [village] chief to marry any of my daughters. One day, a child got sick in the community and the chief accused me,” said Fatma*, resident of the Kukuo camp.

Another resident of the Kukuo camp about 60 years old, said: “They always have plans of putting allegations against you, especially if you are hardworking and are still strong and doing well as a woman.”

Authorities failing to ensure decent living conditions in camps

Women accused of witchcraft have no safe place to run to other than camps overseen by religious leaders in the northern and north-east regions of Ghana, which are now more than a century old.

Although the camps offer shelter, the living conditions are inadequate. Alimata* struggles with her accommodation: “I have my own room here, but it needs reroofing. Water comes down through the roof when it rains.” A resident of the Kukuo camp in her eighties, has not been able to support herself since she fled her village: “I miss a lot [from home]. I had everything. I was harvesting shea nuts. Now, if someone doesn’t feed me, how would I eat?”

The government has failed to ensure access to adequate food, safe housing and clean water in the camps. Health services are also inadequate for women who have serious or ongoing health conditions. Livelihood opportunities are limited and there is no governmental programme to support victims of witchcraft accusations.

“Because people in the camps are unable to provide for themselves, the authorities have a duty to protect and support them. But they have so far failed to do so,” said Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International’s Interim Regional Director for West and Central Africa.

Witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks must be criminalized

The testimonies point to the state’s failure to establish an environment conducive to criminal investigations and prosecutions of witchcraft-related attacks. This, in turn, contributes to the recurrence of accusations and related abuses.

By not providing a specific legal framework to address this harmful practice, the Ghanaian authorities have failed in their duty to protect victims.

“The authorities should pass legislation specifically criminalizing witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks, including protective measures for potential victims,” said Genevieve Partington, Country Director of Amnesty International Ghana and member of the Coalition Against Witchcraft Accusations, an association set up following the lynching of a 90-year-old woman in July 2020.

Root causes must also be addressed

The belief in witchcraft is entrenched in several communities. Criminalizing witchcraft accusations alone would not resolve the issue. While some sensitization initiatives have been conducted by NGOs and at the local government level, they are not enough to comprehensively combat stereotypes linked to witchcraft accusations.

The government should establish a long-term national awareness campaign challenging cultural and social practices that discriminate against women and older people.Genevieve Partington, Country Director of Amnesty International Ghana

“We urge the adoption of a holistic approach that addresses the root causes of the abuses including social and economic reintegration programmes, along with protection and reparations to persons who suffered abuses due to an accusation,” said Genevieve Partington.

Background

This report is based on research conducted between July 2023 and January 2025. The organization interviewed 93 people accused of witchcraft living in four camps, including 82 women, most of them aged 50 to 90.

As part of Amnesty International’s campaign, discussions were held in early February 2025 with the Office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. They expressed interest in the reintroduction in parliament of the private members bill to criminalize witchcraft accusations and to protect victims of witchcraft accusations. The bill was reintroduced shortly afterwards.

Amnesty International shared the preliminary findings of this report on 26 February 2025 with the authorities. At the time of finalizing the report, no responses had been received.

* Names have been changed to protect identity.

Source: Ghana: Hundreds accused of witchcraft urgently need protection and reparation

Hundreds facing witchcraft accusations in Ghana need protection: Amnesty

Ghana’s national flags flay at half staff for late Ghana President John Atta Mills in Accra, Ghana, Friday, July 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Christian Thompson ) (The Associated Press)

Published: pril 14, 2025
By: AFP, CTV News Canada

Accra, Ghana — Hundreds of people suspected of witchcraft in Ghana, especially older women, face rampant human rights abuses including murder, Amnesty International said Monday, asking the government to criminalise accusations and ritual attacks.

In 2023, the Ghanaian parliament passed a bill making it a criminal offence to declare, accuse, name, or label someone as a witch but the bill is yet to be signed into law.

The majority of victims are “marginalized individuals, particularly older women,” in areas in country’s northern and northeastern regions, the report said.

Belief in witchcraft remains common in many rural communities along the west African coast, including Ghana.

Amnesty said Ghana had not done enough to protect victims, stressing the need for a sensitisation campaign in vulnerable areas.

It also said the government had failed to “ensure access to adequate food, safe housing and clean water” for people living in these camps.

Partington is also a member of the Coalition Against Witchcraft Accusations, an association set up following the lynching of a 90-year-old woman in July 2020 in northern Ghana.

Similar attacks occur in other parts of Africa.

Eight women blamed for the death of two ailing boys in Guinea Bissau last year were forced to drink poison and died.

Also last year, two women in their sixties were publicly stoned and their bodies burnt in the Democratic Republic of Congo for allegedly causing the deaths of several people.

This is a reflection of how “we treat elderly people,” Leo Igwe, founder of Nigeria-based non-profit Advocacy for Alleged Witches, told AFP.

Samadu Sayibu of Ghana’s rights group Songtaba, said it also “highlighted issues such as gender and poverty”.

Source: Hundreds facing witchcraft accusations in Ghana need protection: Amnesty

Ritual killings: Experts call for urgent action over rising cases in Northern Nigeria

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

Warning: the following post contains graphic details which may upset readers (webmaster FVDK)..

Nigeria is a federal republic comprising 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Abuja. The 36 states are divided into six geopolitical zones commonly called zones.

The North West (NW), North East (NE) and North Central (NC) zones constitute Northern Nigeria. Politically, historically and culturally we may distinguish Northern and Southern Nigeria, but these broad categories don’t do justice to the great differences that exist within these areas. When I first went to Nigeria, in 1999, I asked a friend who knows the country very well what to expect. ‘Nigeria is a nice set of countries‘, she said.

This short statement says it all. It’s hard to speak of one country, although it has one constitution and one flag and is a member of many international organizations.

The Northern region consists of 19 states and the Federal Capital territory (FCT) of Abuja, the Southern region houses 17 states.

Map of Nigeria showing states in the northern and southern regions.

In the past I have on many occasions paid attention to the scourge of ritualistic murders in Nigeria and related practices such as abductions and torture. Let me suffice to refer to my recent post dated March 15, The horror of ritual killings in Nigeria, which also includes ritual murder cases in Northern Nigeria.

The article below provides several examples of reported ritual murders both in Northern and Southern Nigeria. The author, Hadiza Musa, pleading for more attention to the surge in ritual killing in northern states, reports that ‘Between January and April 2025 alone, at least 10 cases have been reported across Kwara, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Benue, Abuja and Bauchi states.’ Not surprisingly, residents of northern states (Kaduna, Kano, Katsina) came into the public eye calling for the death penalty for ritual killers and cannibals.

Moreover, it is necessary to emphasize that the number mentioned above refers only to reported ritual killings, and thus in all likelihood is only the tip of the iceberg.

On more than one occasion I’ve stated here that most likely Nigeria holds a dismal continental record of being the country with the highest number of ritual murders – only partly explained by being Africa’s most populous country. Hadiza Musa refers to research by an NGO, the West African Network for Peace Building, revealing that Nigeria recorded 185 ritual-related deaths between January 2021 and January 2022.

In addition, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that over 150 ritual killing cases often linked to young people seeking quick wealth, were recorded in Nigeria in the past six months.
(FVDK)

Ritual killings: Experts call for urgent action over rising cases in Northern Nigeria

Published: April 8, 2025
By: Hadiza Musa – Daily Post, Nigeria

“Ritual Killing” a term referring to the intentional murder of individuals for spiritual, economic, or supernatural purposes, often involving body mutilation or organ harvesting were often associated with Southern Nigeria where they were linked to wealth-seeking practices, political power struggles, and deep-rooted traditional beliefs.

Over the years, several high-profile cases have reinforced this perception.

One of the most infamous cases was the 2004 Okija Shrine discovery in Anambra State, where the police uncovered dozens of human skulls and decomposing bodies allegedly used for sacrifices by politicians and businessmen.

Similarly, in 2014, the Ibadan ‘Forest of Horror’ was exposed, revealing a den of ritualists who had abducted, killed, and harvested body parts from their victims.

In recent years, however, there has been a notable shift, with cases of ritual killings increasingly reported in Northern states such as Kwara, Nasarawa, Jigawa, and Bauchi.

While ritual killings were once largely associated with Southern Nigeria, the rising economic challenges and the erosion of moral values have played a significant role in their spread to the North.

Between January and April 2025 alone, at least 10 cases have been reported across Kwara, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Benue, Abuja and Bauchi states.

In January and in Nasarawa State, Timileyin Ajayi, described as a gospel singer, allegedly murdered a lady, 24-year-old Salome Adaidu, and dismembered her body.

He was caught carrying the severed head of his victim in a bag, which alarmed onlookers, leading to his apprehension.

When he was arrested by the police, other dismembered parts of the deceased’s body were recovered from his home.

The deceased, Salome Adaidu was identified as a member of the National Youth Service Corps who was serving in Abuja.

Also, in Kwara, a final-year student, Hafsoh Lawal, was lured and killed by Abdulrahman Bello, a self-proclaimed cleric and her boyfriend whom she met on Facebook.

According to the Kwara State Police Command, the 29-year-old suspect killed Lawal and dismembered her for alleged ritual purposes at a location in the Olunlade area of Ilorin on Tuesday, February 11, 2025.

The headless corpse of the pupil was discovered by the roadside in Jikas-Dabaja village, Gwaram Local Government Area, Jigawa on March 12 (Wednesday).

The body was mutilated, with the private parts removed, prompting the police to launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the gruesome act.

On Sunday, March 16, the Police Command in Jigawa State announced the arrest of a 45-year-old suspect in connection with the crime.

The suspect, a teacher of the deceased, was apprehended and detained following a tip-off.

Experts call for urgent action as ritual killings surge in Northern Nigeria

The incidents and many others highlighted the urgent need for comprehensive measures to address ritual killings in the region with stakeholders, attributing the trend to economic struggles, poverty, and lack of education.

Comrade Umar Hamisu Kofar Naisa, Executive Director of the Society for Educational Development and Socio-Democratic Activities (SEDSAC), linked the surge in ritual killings to poverty and the worsening economic conditions in the region.

He told DAILY POST that illiteracy and lack of education play a significant role in fueling such heinous acts.

According to him, ritual killings violate human rights, instill fear, and create insecurity in communities.

“If we examine the situation closely, ritual killings not only violate human rights but also instill fear and insecurity in communities. The psychological trauma experienced by victims’ families and survivors is immeasurable,” he stated in an interview with DAILY POST.

On legal responses, he urged the government to strengthen policies that protect human rights and enact specific legislation to prosecute perpetrators of ritual killings.

He also stressed the need for collaboration among various stakeholders to curb the menace.

Hamisu called on NGOs to intensify awareness campaigns on the dangers of ritual killings, provide support to victims’ families, and advocate for policy reforms.

“We must ensure that policies are created and enforced to put an end to ritual killings in Nigeria,” he added.

He further advocated for grassroots strategies and community engagement, emphasizing the role of traditional and religious leaders in tackling the issue.

“What was once seen as a problem in the South is now happening here. We must work together to stop it,” he urged.

Suleiman Hamza, a student in Ibrahimul Ahmadul Qadhi Islamiyya, highlighted the strong stance of both Islam and Christianity against killings.

He referenced Islamic teachings, noting that taking a life unjustly is akin to killing all of humanity.

“In Islam, the sanctity of human life is paramount. Even in cases of accidental killing, compensation is required, which today can amount to as much as ₦344.8 million,” he explained in an interview with DAILY POST.

Hamza described ritual killings as a new and disturbing phenomenon in the North, stating that in some cases, perpetrators even resort to exhuming corpses from graves for ritualistic purposes.

According to him, there have been more sermons in both churches and mosques, as well as intersectoral conferences and seminars, emphasizing the need to address ritual killings and their root causes.

He called on religious leaders to intensify sermons against such practices and educate the public on the severe consequences of engaging in ritual killings.

Nigeria accounts for a significant number of ritual killings

According to research by an NGO, the West African Network for Peace Building, Nigeria recorded 185 ritual-related deaths between January 2021 and January 2022.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that over 150 ritual killing cases often linked to young people seeking quick wealth, were recorded in Nigeria in the past six months.

The experts argued that the surge in ritual killings in Northern Nigeria signals a disturbing shift that demands urgent intervention and unless decisive action is taken by policymakers, security agencies, and societal leaders, ritual killings could become an even greater threat to public safety and human rights in the region.

Source: Ritual killings: Experts call for urgent action over rising cases in Northern Nigeria

Many ritual killings, murder cases happen in homesteads —Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Nigeria

Posted on April 6, 2025 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

The Commissioner of Police in charge of Ogun State Command, Dr Lanre Ogunlowo made a remarkable statement while being interviewed on the subject of the alarming rise in crimes and how to ensure security and safety in this southwestern coastal state. Ogun State borders Lagos, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states in the south, east and north and the republic of Benin in the west.

Ogun State is located in the South West geopolitical zone of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Nigeria is divided into six geopolitical zones commonly called zones). With a surface area of 16,762 km2 Ogun State ranks 24th (out of 36 states) and with a population of about 7 million people in 2024 it occupies the 13th position.

The majority of the population belongs to the Yoruba ethnic group, their language being the lingua franca of the state. The dominant religions in Ogun State are majority Islam and minority Christianity although a certain amount of traditional religion is still practiced.

The capital of Ogun State is Abeokuta.

CP Ogunlowo made the chilling acknowledgement that “Quite a number of this issue of ritual killing and murder cases happen in homesteads (….)”

True, he combines in this particular sentence both ritual murders and ‘ordinary’ murders, but nonetheless his comments warrant more than superficial attention. Besides, if this is the case in Ogun State, what about the other 35 Nigerian states?

It is common knowledge that the scourge of ritual killings (known as ‘money rituals’ in Nigeria) scares millions of Nigerians, young and old, males and females – with over 220 million people Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country – and constitutes a serious violation of one of the most basic human rights, the right to live without fear. Ogunlowo’s recognition means even at home Nigerians are not safe.

The states’ governments and the federal government in Abuja have work to do!
(FVDK)

Many ritual killings, murder cases happen in homesteads —Ogun State Commissioner of Police Ogunlowo

Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Dr. Lanre Ogunlowo. Photo: Oluwatoyin Malik

Published: April 4, 2025
By: Oluwatoyin Malik – Nigerian Tribune

In this interview with Crime Editor, OLUWATOYIN MALIK, the Commissioner of Police in charge of Ogun State Command, Dr Lanre Ogunlowo, speaks on the efforts in curbing crimes and ensuring security and safety in the state. Excerpts:

KIDNAPPING in the South West states, Ogun inclusive, is of utmost concern currently. What is Ogun State Police Command doing about it?

We don’t take things for granted because anything can happen at any time. So, even in peace times, we are still on our toes. And for the Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers and tactical units, all of us keep putting pressure on one another that our areas must be calm. So, you can’t be executive DPO, executive Area Commander. There is always need to go out and see what is happening in your domain.

We try to get feedbacks from people. We can’t go the press and tell them Ogun is peaceful and calm while people experience otherwise. We tell the people to be candid and tell us if we are not doing enough. We don’t take it as criticism. Let them tell us how they feel. That will guide our own actions too.

God is helping us, and the governor is doing his utmost, I must say that. Ogun state government is assisting us all the way. It is not that we don’t have one-off situations but as they come up, we deal with them.

The last major one we had was in Ogijo area about three weeks ago when they a young boy was kidnapped. Eventually, we put pressure on the kidnappers and the boy escaped unhurt because of the pressure. During our encounter, one of them (kidnappers) was neutralised by the police firepower.

What we are trying to do is to let people know this: if you are committing crime, you have two options – either stop or get caught. Stop it or you answer to the law. But like I do say, what we just do majorly is to continue to put pressure on our personnel that they must be awake for the people of Ogun State to sleep soundly.

Except the one-offs, does it mean kidnappings have reduced?

The Inspector General of Police has been very helpful. I know we have five functional Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) in recent time. We have one at Ijebu Ode, we have one by Sagamu interchange, we have one at Ilaro axis, we have one at Iperu Remo and we have one patrolling Abeokuta. We just want people to have peace of mind because the fear of security forces is also security on its own.

I will be honest; that does not mean that we are not having challenges, especially attacks on commercial motorcyclists. We have tried to educate them and create awareness that as they are looking for money, they ride bike 10 p.m., 11 p.m., 1 a.m., and they see two, three people who wave them down and ask to be taken to a place, and you pick them. Constantly, we have cases of attacks on these commercial bike riders and we have reached out to them that they should take a rest after working till 8 or 9 p.m. because late-hour attacks are of concern, but we are still having them because the riders will not listen. They seem not to care about their security. This is a major thing we have been dealing with. We can only just continue to keep vigil so that we don’t have such incidents during the coming celebration of Easter as we did at Eid-el-Fitr celebration.

What about the ritual killers?

Just as all other incidents we are talking about, in ritual killing, I don’t know where they got this idea that you can kill or use human being to make money. It’s a sad development. In Ogun State, we are dealing with them as best as we can. As many as we are able to get hold of, we investigate and prosecute, so we enjoin citizens to be self-aware, to be concerned about their security. Quite a number of this issue of ritual killing and murder cases happen in homesteads where no security personnel can protect anyone. We have relations, families where one person kills the other. These are things happening in homes which we can’t do much about”. (italics added – webmaster FVDK)
Be that as it may, the Deputy Commissioner, Criminal Investigation Department (DCCID) and the Assistant Commissioner, Criminal Investigation Department (ACCID) are doing their best in that regard. We just keep trying.

Some people go to graveyards and cemeteries to exhume corpses to remove body parts, with the belief that the offence is bailable and they will regain their freedom soon. What’s your take on this?

We can only speak for the police and their activities. We investigate and process them to court. We are law enforcement agents. We don’t make law, we enforce it, and we can only operate within the ambit of the law. If the law declares a particular act as bailable, it is not within our own competence to say otherwise. It is just as the issue of land grabbing, it’s everyday incident in Ogun. And we say, look, the police cannot apportion land, and we cannot declare A or B as the owner of land. If you have any issue, go to court. But what the police will not allow to happen is the breakdown of law and order. If we see people disturbing public peace because of a piece of land, our own is to move everybody to court. Let them tell the court that they are having issues over land ownership. The police cannot decide who owns the land.

The moment we take cases to court, it is outside police purview. If the law classifies it as bailable offence, then it is. A lot of people usually say that police cannot be trusted because when they take confirmed criminals to them, by a week after, such criminals would be seen in town, free. If we arrest, we detain them for investigation, but such cannot be prolonged. If it’s a bailable offence, the person will be released on bail. And when we complete our investigation, we go to court. The court will exercise its power if it is a bailable offence, and we cannot fault them for that.

Source: Many ritual killings, murder cases happen in homesteads —CP Ogunlowo

Ritual Killing In Africa

Human Rights, Rule of Law, and Superstition in Africa