Nigeria: Chief Justice Ibrahim Muhammad speaks out against Nigerian students committing armed robbery, kidnapping, ritual killing, internet fraud

In Nigeria, ritual killing is not a small problem – at least, according to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Muhammad, who puts ritualistic murders on the same level as internet fraud, armed robbery, kidnapping and drug trafficking. The Chief Justice of Nigeria spoke at the 7th Convocation ceremony of the Nile University of Nigeria, in Abuja, urging authorities of the various institutions of learning to take necessary steps to reverse the unsavoury trend.

It is common knowledge that ritualistic murders – in Nigeria known as ‘money business’ or ‘money rituals’ – occur in many states. These heinous crimes are often committed by so-called Yahoo boys, but – according to Ibrahim Muhammad – also by university and college students.

One of the root causes of ritual murders is superstition, the belief that body parts used to make ‘juju’ guarantee success, power and wealth. One would expect that students in tertiary institutions are well educated and reject such superstitious ideas. The fact that this is not the case shows that something is fundamentally wrong in the Nigerian educational system. I sincerely hope that Chief Justice Ibrahim Muhammad’s speech  will serve as a wake-up call for the Nigerian authorities (webmaster FVDK).  

Chief Justice Ibrahim Muhammad speaks out against Nigerian students committing armed robbery, kidnapping, ritual killing, internet fraud 

Published: October 28, 2019
By: SaharaReporters, New York  

Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), has
lamented the increased rate of criminalities amongst students of the
country’s tertiary institutions.

The CJN, while speaking at the 7th Convocation ceremony of the Nile
University of Nigeria, in Abuja, urged authorities of the various
institutions of learning to take necessary steps to reverse the
unsavoury trend.

He said, “The Nigerian Judiciary will always be the hope of everybody,
irrespective of his or her status in the society. The various acts of
criminalities currently pervading our various university campuses
across the country is a sad commentary, to say the least.

“It is very unfortunate to now see our students engaging in armed
robbery, kidnapping, internet fraud, ritual killings, trafficking in
illicit drugs, and several other vices. It is a trend that must, as a
matter of urgency, be nipped in the bud.

“If our most cherished and celebrated future leaders are allowed to
wallow in such dangerous and inimical venture, then the future looks
very bleak. Our hope rests on you and you must not let us down.”

Muhammad added, “As I look through this beautiful convocation arena, I
can see the galaxy of stars that are poised to change the world for
the best and make indelible marks in their various professions, even
on the global stage.

“My candid advice to you all, this morning, is to shun crime and any
act capable of smearing the good reputation and image that the nation
has carved for you. As we all know, virtue is its own reward.

“Let me assure you that hard work attracts tremendous reward and with
concerted effort, your success in life will know no bounds.

“The sky will ultimately serve as your foot mat. From this moment on,
you should begin to walk towards the direction of your dreams. By so
doing, you can rest assured that failure will have no affinity with
you.”

Continuing, the nation’s chief justice stated, “Like I always say, the
Nigerian Judiciary will always be the hope of everybody, irrespective of his or her status in the society.

“We will, as usual, be pursuing the total adherence to the tenets of
the rule of law by all citizens because it has always been the bastion
of genuine democracy. Needless to say that disobedience of lawful
court orders is antithetical to a nation’s growth and progress.

“It is our passionate desire to place the Nigerian judiciary in that
strategic position where the country can occupy a pride of place among
the comity of nations.

“By the grace of the Almighty Allah, Nigeria will be great and we all
shall be very proud of our heritage.”

Source: Nigerian Students Committing Robbery, Kidnapping, Ritual Killing, Internet Fraud – Chief Justice Ibrahim Muhammad

Liberia: Anti-ritual killing Taskforce gets 2 motorbikes

Liberia is not known to actively fight ritualistic murders or to prosecute and condemn perpetrators of these heinous crimes. Yet, according to a recent newspaper article (reproduced below) it has a anti-ritual killing taskforce – which is quite revealing. Is the Taskforce just window-dressing or is it a sincere attempt to fight these criminal, traditional practices which are so hard to wipe out?  I do not know the taskforce’s mandate, year of creation or its yearly budget, but will try to do some research and will let you know my findings asap.

Recently, Montserrado County District #1 Representative Lawrence Morris donated two brand new motorbikes to the anti-ritual killing Taskforce. At the occasion, he again expressed his condolences to the families of Elijah Porluma, 9 and Thomas Kollie, 10, who were reportedly abducted and killed allegedly for ritual purposes in early June 2019 (see my August 4, 2019 posting with the article entitled ‘Ritual Killings’ Spark Riot in Kingsville, dated June 25, 2019). 

Representative Morris made a generous gesture by donating two motorbikes to the anti-ritual killing taskforce, but will his donation solve the endemic problem of ritualistic killings in the country, or make a significant contribution to fighting these crimes?

I have my doubts. In my view, more needs to be done to effectively end ritual killings in a country where superstition, ignorance, poverty, greed, lack of rule of law and impunity are responsible for the continuation of these criminal practices (webmaster FVDK).

Anti-Ritual Killing Taskforce Gets 2 Motorbikes

Published: October 25, 2019
By: Daily Observer –  Leroy M. Sonpon, III 

Montserrado County District #1 Representative Lawrence Morris donates two brand new motorbike for Anti-Ritual Killings

Two brand new motorbikes, in the tune of L$490,000, have been donated to the Anti-Ritual Killing Community Watch-Team in Number 7 Community, Kingsville Township, Montserrado County District #1 on Thursday, October 24, 2019 to assist the Liberia National Police (LNP) to protect lives and properties.

Montserrado County District #1 Representative Rep. Lawrence Morris called on the District to choose peace over violence and end violence and ritualistic killings that would have the propensity to cause civil war or divide the district and, at large, the nation.

Montserrado County District #1 Representative Lawrence Morris

He again expressed his condolences to the bereaved families of the two children, Elijah Porluma, 9 and Thomas Kollie, 10, who were reportedly abducted and killed allegedly for ritual purposes in early June 2019 (italics added by the webmaster FVDK).

The House’s chairman on Refugees Repatriation, Resettlement and Reintegration urged his constituencies to join him not to applaud the ritualistic killings, and must never choose violence instead of peace; lies instead of truth and laugh at obscenities instead of correcting them.

He pointed out the new bikes are in fulfillment of his promise to support the Community Watch-Team to save lives and protect properties.

The Montserrado County lawmaker said: “You shall not murder or You shall not kill, is a moral imperative included as one of the Ten Commandments in the Holy Bible and it’s a sin against God.”

It may be recalled that, on Monday, June 24, 2019, aggrieved citizens of the Kingsville town blocked the main road from Red-Light to Kakata in demand for justice for two boys, Elijah Porluma, 9 and Thomas Kollie, 10, who were reportedly abducted and later killed allegedly for ritual purposes (italics added by the webmaster FVDK).

The demonstrators were holding aloft placards bearing inscriptions that read, “We want justice,” as they occupied the middle of the road with themselves and abandoned pieces of timber and metallic objects used to set up the roadblock.

Source: Anti-Ritual Killing Taskforce Gets 2 Motorbikes for Utility

Nigeria (Benue State): ‘I killed 16 victims and offered their blood for ritual’

Not all ritualistic murders follow the same pattern. Even though the case presented below differs from the ‘traditional’ ritual murders, the perpetrators are also driven by greed and superstition (webmaster FVDK). 

Iorwuese Ikpila aka Dr. Kwagh Akorom Me Nenge (catch me if you can) in red and his gang members

Published: September 27, 2019
By: Osumanu Al-Hassan 

A notorious kidnap kingpin who led a gang that specialized in the abduction and murder of his victims even after collecting ransom has revealed that he slaughtered 16 persons and offered their blood for a ritual to acquire wealth and power.

The kidnapper, Iorwuese Ikpila aka Dr. Kwagh Akorom Me Nenge (catch me if you can), who was paraded on Thursday by the Benue Police command alongside six other accomplices claimed he was the son of a native doctor and usually had communion with a ‘Queen’ in the spirit realm who directed his gang to sacrifice 20 persons after which they would become rich and powerful.

“So from there I and my people kidnap people and when we kidnap them we kill them and give their blood to our ‘Queen’ for power to get anything we want both power and money.

“I have been in the business for three months because the ‘Queen’ mandated that we should complete the blood sacrifice with 20 people for us to acquire whatever we needed but so far we have killed 16 persons.

“After abducting our victims, we dispossess them of their belongings, we strangulate them and give their blood to the ‘Queen’ and after that we bury them.

“But I have now realized that all powers belong to God. Before now I confessed my sins to the Policeman that arrested me. He also took me to a Pastor in Katsina/Ala even before taking him to the graves where I confessed my sins,” he added.

Iorwuese Ikpila who claimed to be 30 years old said he had four wives and four children.

Earlier the Benue state Police Commissioner, Mr. Garba Mukaddas said the arrests of the gang followed a tip-off.

They specified that the gang kidnapped sixteen persons, robbed them of their vehicles, motorcycles and other belongings, killed their victims, buried the corpses and planted cassava on the graves as a way of covering the crime.

Further investigation led to the discovery of sixteen shallow graves. Eleven corpses have been exhumed and identified by their family members.

“A receiver of the properties stolen by this gang, one Shizoon Nyityo has also been arrested. Items recovered from the suspects include one locally made single barrel gun, a rope used by the gang members to strangulate their victims and assorted charms. Investigation into the matter is ongoing,” Mr. Mukaddas said.

Source: ‘I killed 16 victims and offered their blood for ritual’ [Kidnapping kingpin’s horrific confession]

Leader of the kidnap gang in Benue State, Iorwuese Kpila

Related articles: 

Bizarre Confession: Our Target Was To Kill 20 People, Says Benue Kidnap Kingpin

Published: September 27, 2019
By: SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORK

The 30-year-old said that he wanted to be powerful and influential in his community even beyond Benue State that was why he engaged in criminal activities.

Leader of a kidnap gang in Benue State, Iorwuese Kpila, 30, has said that he and his colleagues were given a target by one ‘queen spirit’ to kill 20 people and take the victims’ blood for ritual purposes.

Iorwuese made the confession on Friday while being paraded at the Benue State Police Command headquarters in Makurdi, the capital, alongside six members of his gang and five others arrested for child trafficking, armed robbery and other crimes.

The 30-year-old said that he wanted to be powerful and influential in his community even beyond Benue State that was why he engaged in criminal activities.

He said, “I was born in 1989 and I’m married with four children and four wives but so far, only one wife is staying with me and she is not aware that I’m into this.

“My father was a native doctor and he worked with so many spirits. When we kidnap people, we kill them and dispossess them of their valuables.

“We give them concoction that make them carry out whatever task we ask them before killing them.

“So far, we have kidnapped 16 persons, robbed them of their vehicles, motorcycles and other belongings, killed the victims, buried the corpses and planted cassava on the graves.

“The ‘queen spirit’ directed us to do so and after meeting the target of 20, we would acquire whatever we want in life.

“It is the ‘queen spirit’ that consumed the blood of our victims.”

Source: Bizarre Confession: Our Target Was To Kill 20 People, Says Benue Kidnap Kingpin

Another suspected serial killer arrested in Benue, confessed to killing 16 Okada men 

Published: September 27, 2019
By: Nurudeen Lawal 

Police have arrested another suspected serial killer and kidnap kingpin, Iorwuese Kpila, in Benue state.

Kpila reportedly confessed to killing 16 persons who are mostly commercial motorcycle operators.

According to him, a spirit known as ‘Queen’ told him to kill 18 persons to acquire supernatural powers ’to appear and disappear’. 

Iorwuese Kpila, another suspected serial killer and kidnap kingpin in Benue state arrested for killing 16 persons has made more mind-blowing confessions. According to a report filed by The Nation, Kpila said he buried the victims in mass graves, adding that he killed his victims for ritual and supernatural powers. The 30-year-old suspect made the shocking confession while he was paraded on Friday, September 27, alongside six other members of his gang by the Benue state police commissioner, Mukaddas Garba. Kpila further confessed that he planted cassava on the mass graves as a decoy.

Confessing further, the suspects said they lured their victims who are mostly commercial motorcycle operators and killed them with a rope and afterwards sell the victims’ motorcycles. “We would tell okada riders to drop us at a certain location and immediately we reached there, me and my gang members would grab the victim and strangulate him with a rope. We would dig a grave, bury him and plant cassava on top of the grave, thereafter sell the motorcycle,’’ Kpila confessed.

Kpila also claimed that a spirit known as ‘Queen’ told him to kill 20 persons to acquire supernatural powers ’to appear and disappear.’

Garba urged members of the public to always feel free provide his command genuine information about criminals and their activities in the state. 

Source: Another suspected serial killer arrested in Benue, confessed to killing 16 Okada men. 

Ghana: ocultist arrested for allegedly killing his aunt

Published: October 9, 2019
By: GNA – My Joy Online

The Sege police last Sunday arrested 24-year-old Isaiah Tetteh Sebbie at Goi, a suburb of Sege, for allegedly butchering his aunt for ‘ritual’ purposes.

The deceased, Madam Tornyasi Sebbie, aged 70, is said to be at loggerheads with the suspect before her untimely death.

Sege Police Commander DSP George Aboagye told the GNA that, about 6am on Sunday, 6th October 2019, Alex Sebbie and Otu Sebbie (children of the deceased) brought the woman who was then unconscious, to the police station and complained that they found her lying in a pool of blood in front of her shop.

He said, a medical form was quickly prepared for her to be sent to the Ada East District Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

According to him, investigations revealed that the culprit had been quarrelling with the victim which forced her to move out of the family house.

He said, around 5am on the day of the incident, a prime witness saw the suspect butchering the victim with matches.

“After arresting him, we went into his room with the Assemblyman of the area Mr. John Akwafo Tsiri, and found items which proved to us that he is an occultist.

We have arraigned him before court and he is to reappear on 21st of this month for interrogations, ” he explained.

The Police chief said the suspect had since been remanded in police custody while the corpse had been deposited at the Police Hospital Morgue for autopsy.

Meanwhile, there are rumours circulating that the suspect who is a community Animal Health Worker, slaughters animals indiscriminately to pacify his objects of worship.

Others also accused him of exhuming human dead bodies for occultic purposes.

The police had since launched investigations into the issues.

Source: Occultist arrested for allegedly killing his aunt 

Sege is located in the Dangme East district of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.

Zimbabwe: Mabhinya ritual killers terrorise Mutare villagers

Mutare villagers march against ritual killers

Published: October 17, 2019
By: Takunda Shumba – Zw News    

Scores of angry villagers last week filled Chitakatira Police Base demanding local police to take action against the increasing numbers of ritual killing of people in their area.

Many people have been killed by a suspected group of human slayers (mabhinya) since mid-August 2019. (italics added by webmaster FVDK)

A member of Mugodhi Apostolic Church John Muponda went missing on Monday last week and family and church mates found his remains dumped partially decayed at Makuti Farm in Vumba on Saturday.

A church congregant who refused to be named for own security reasons suspects that Muponda was murdered even though post-mortem results were not yet out by the time of writing.

The female church member also expressed her concern about what she considered to be lax policing and investigative work by authorities.

“John was someone close to me. It’s so sad that he is no more. I am here out of anger. Why they are killing others like chickens,” said the congregant.

Local traditional leaders were also amongst the villagers who took part in the demonstrations.

One of them is Headman Simon Chigodora who described the situation in the area as a very weird one.

“We have not come here to damage police property. We just want to express our worries. Most of these people has relatives and friends killed by those criminals. More than three people were killed since the end of August. The Chigodora community needs police attention,” Headman Chigodora told TellZim News.

Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Assistance Inspector Luxson Chananda confirmed the rise in cases of murders saying authorities were doing their work to fight all forms of crime.  

Source: Mabhinya ritual killers terrorise Mutare villagers

Related articles:

PIC: Furious Mutare Villagers March Against ‘Mabhinya’ Killers Harvesting Body Parts

Published: October 17, 2019
By: Sharon Chirisa

A mob of angry Mutare villagers last week filled Chitakatira Police Base demanding the police to take action against the increasing numbers of ritual killing of people in their area.

Many people are being killed in the area and their body parts are being harvested for ritual use.

A member of Mugodhi Apostolic Church John Muponda went missing on Monday last week and family and church mates found his remains dumped partially decayed at Makuti Farm in Vumba on Saturday.

A church member suspects that he was murdered.

“John was someone close to me. It’s so sad that he is no more. I am here out of anger. Why they are killing others like chickens,” said the congregant.

Among the protesters was the village Headman Simon Chigodora who described the situation in the area as a very weird one.

“We have not come here to damage police property. We just want to express our worries. Most of these people has relatives and friends killed by those criminals. More than three people were killed since the end of August. The Chigodora community needs police attention,”

Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Assistance Inspector Luxson Chananda confirmed the rise in cases of murders to TellZim saying the authorities have all hands on deck and are working hard to end the rampant killings.

Source: PIC: Furious Mutare Villagers March Against ‘Mabhinya’ Killers Harvesting Body Parts

Mutare villagers march against ritual murders

Published: October 17, 2019
By: Munyaradzi Goche – Radio VOP

MUTARE – Scores of angry villagers last week filled Chitakatira Police Base demanding local police to take action against the increasing numbers of ritual killing of people in their area.

Many people have been killed by a suspected group of human slayers (mabhinya) since mid-August 2019.

A member of Mugodhi Apostolic Church John Muponda went missing on Monday last week and family and church mates found his remains dumped partially decayed at Makuti Farm in Vumba on Saturday.

A church congregant who refused to be named for own security reasons suspects that Muponda was murdered even though post-mortem results were not yet out by the time of writing.

The female church member also expressed her concern about what she considered to be lax policing and investigative work by authorities.

“John was someone close to me. It’s so sad that he is no more. I am here out of anger. Why they are killing others like chickens,” said the congregant.

Local traditional leaders were also amongst the villagers who took part in the demonstrations.

One of them is Headman Simon Chigodora who described the situation in the area as a very weird one.

“We have not come here to damage police property. We just want to express our worries. Most of these people has relatives and friends killed by those criminals. More than three people were killed since the end of August. The Chigodora community needs police attention,” Headman Chigodora told TellZim News.

Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Assistance Inspector Luxson Chananda confirmed the rise in cases of murders saying authorities were doing their work to fight all forms of crime.

Source: Mutare villagers march against ritual murders

Nigeria: body of boy, 14, found dismembered in Ikorodu, Lagos

Warning – Graphic photo – This article contains shocking details (webmaster FVDK)

Published: October 21, 2019
By: Zika Bobby, The Sun, Voice of the National – Sun New online 

The Anifowose family of Ikorodu are grieving the loss of their son, Kudus, a JSS 1 student who was declared missing since on October 14.

The lad’s dismembered body was found yesterday in a compound in Ikorodu.

A 17-year-old boy and his grandmother were arrested by the police.

Kudus’ body was discovered in an unoccupied building near his friend’s compound, but the friend has denied any involvement. The grandmother has since been released by the police.

Family members are alleging ritual killing, calling on the police high authority to investigate the matter properly.

“The way things are going, we suspect that some people in high places could be involved in this killing. When the compound was sealed by the police, some people came in company of the boy’s grandmother saying they want to take a certificate from the compound. Thanks to the OPC that refused them entry.

Source: Body of boy, 14, found dismembered in Ikorodu, Lagos

South Africa: 14-Year-old Masia boy brutally murdered (2013 article)

Dead: Nkhumeleni Mukhado

Published: April 26, 2013
By: Tshifhiwa Mukwevho

The lifeless body of a 14-year-old boy was discovered at the back of the cemetery at Majozi village last Thursday morning. It is alleged that the body has a gorged skull and was missing its private parts. It is suspected that the deceased is another victim of ritual murder.

The enraged community of Masia allegedly set a suspect’s hut on fire on Sunday night. However, the man and his family managed to slip away by jumping over the fence at the backside of his main house.

The boy’s body was first discovered in the early hours of the morning by a group of women who were walking down the mountain from fetching wood. It was later revealed that the boy came from a neighbouring village, Masia.

The body was later identified as Nkhumeleni Mukhadi by his father, Mr Frank Mukhadi.

A suspicious finger pointed at a man for whom the boy used to perform odd jobs, after some community members said that he was seen walking out of a church crusade service with him on Wednesday evening (17 April).

Mukhadi is a heartbroken man, following the discovery of his son’s body. He believes that a bicycle was used to lure his son to the Phadinwe mountain, where he was then killed for muti. “There were fresh prints of a bicycle, which led us to the spot where Nkhume was killed,” he said. “We saw blood soaked into the ground.”

Nkhumeleni was a Grade 4 pupil at Vhangani Primary School. Mr Bernard Bopape, a teacher, said that the school was unable to accept that the young boy is no more. “We need answers to his death. We need to know who killed him and the motive behind the killing.”

Bopape said the pupils could hardly focus on their school work since everyone in the village was speaking about the pupil whose private parts had been cut off.

Cllr Sarah Makhuvha  of Ward 7 maintains that she had received a sketchy report about the boy’s death from the ward committee and the deceased’s family. “There are community members who are maintaining that the man whose house was burnt had fetched Nkhumeleni from an evening church service and the boy never returned,” Makhuvha said.  “To lose a child under such horrific circumstances is really painful.”

Makhuvha, the school and affected community members continue to hold meetings at the deceased’s house, as a way of trying to comfort the family of the deceased.

The police’s provincial spokesperson, Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi, said the police had opened a case of murder. “No arrests have been made thus far, but our investigations are ongoing,” said Mulaudzi. “We are also waiting for the doctors to perform a post-mortem.”

Mulaudzi added that the police had opened an arson case after a house of a man was set alight.

Chief Vho-Thanyani Masia called for calm in the village and requested the community members who might have information regarding the boy’s killing to supply it to the police.

When Limpopo Mirror visited the village on Monday evening, there was a large number of community members scattered about the suspect’s yard with the intention of setting the remaining rooms alight. The Vuwani police kept an eye on the situation from a short distance.

Source: 14-year-old Masia boy brutally murdered