Category Archives: 2021

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

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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.

Nigeria’s six geopolitical 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

Nigeria: ‘No record of ritual killings in Benue State’ – True or not true?

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Warning: links in this post may lead to articles containing graphic details which may upset readers.

At first sight one may wonder why I include the following news article(s), ‘No record of ritual killings in Benue State’ according to police sources. ‘Good news’, one would say.

However, I remember several posts on this site reporting and commenting on killings for ritualistic motives in Benue State. Besides, I far from pretend to have covered all discovered ritual murder cases in Benue State in the past few years.

To be more precise, I point to the following posts (while reminding the reader that I only started this website in 2018):

Benue Police paraded a man who murdered his son for ritual purposes (posted on March 8, 2019); and ‘I killed 16 victims and offered their blood for ritual’ (posted on October 24, 2019).

In 2020 I posted ‘Nigeria: ritual killings everywhere‘ based on a 2014 article which included a ritual murder case in Benue State in 2007.

The following year, two posts included ritualistic murders in Benue State: The scourge of ritual killings in Nigeria (posted on May 11, 2021) and
Nigeria: ritual killers disguised as lovers (posted on June 27, 2021).
Also in 2022 Benue State was in the news: Cult killings create chaos in Nigeria (April 16, 2022).

What do you mean, ‘No record of ritual killings in Benue State’?

Below I’ve included five Nigerian newspaper articles with virtually the same text and bringing the same message – the same wrong message.

The conclusion is evident: One must always be careful to accept without question that what is written is true.
(webmaster FVDK)

Background information:

Benue State is located in the North Central geopolitical zone of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Nigeria is divided into six geopolitical zones commonly called zones). With a surface area of 34,059 km2 Benue State ranks 11th (out of 36 states) and with a population of about 7 million people in 2024 it also occupies the 11th position. The capital of Benue State is Makurdi.

No record of ritual killings in Benue – Police

Published: March 3, 2025
By:  Ejembi Ogwuche – Daily Post, Nigeria

The Benue State Police Command has said there is no record of ritual killings in the state.

This spokesperson of the command, CSP Catherine Anene made the assertion in Makurdi on Sunday.

She noted that although there are other crimes, there is no reported case of ritual killing in the state.

Anene also stressed that there is information or evidence about the existence of cannibals or human parts markets in the state.

“We don’t have intelligence reports of any human parts market in Benue.

“So we have not recorded any ritual killing; there are other crimes, but not this particular one.

“We are always on red alert,” she said.

Source: No record of ritual killings in Benue – Police

Also:

Police Speaks On Ritual Killings In Benue

Published: March 3, 2025
By: Naijapals Base (Metro life) – GistMania, Nigeria

Contrary to the news reports making rounds, the Benue State Police Command has said there is no record of ritual killings in the state.

debunking the purported report, the State Command Spokesperson, CSP Catherine Anene who spoke in Makurdi, noted that although there are other crimes, there is no reported case of ritual killing in the state.

Anene also stressed that there is information or evidence about the existence of cannibals or human parts markets in the state.

“We don’t have intelligence reports of any human parts market in Benue.

“So we have not recorded any ritual killing; there are other crimes, but not this particular one.

“We are always on red alert,” she said.

Source: Police Speaks On Ritual Killings In Benue

Also:

Police Speaks On Ritual Killings In Benue

Contrary to the news reports making rounds, the Benue State Police Command has said there is no record of ritual killings in the state.

Debunking the purported report, the State Command Spokesperson, CSP Catherine Anene who spoke in Makurdi, noted that although there are other crimes, there is no reported case of ritual killing in the state.

Anene also stressed that there is information or evidence about the existence of cannibals or human parts markets in the state.

“We don’t have intelligence reports of any human parts market in Benue.

“So we have not recorded any ritual killing; there are other crimes, but not this particular one.

“We are always on red alert,” she said.

Source: Police Speaks On Ritual Killings In Benue

Also:

Benue has no record of ritual killings – Police

Published: March 3, 2025
By: EDIRI OYIBO – The News Guru, Nigeria

There has not been any record of ritual killing in Benue, the Police Command in the state has said.

The command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Sewuese Anene, told NAN on Sunday in Makurdi that there was no intelligence report to that effect.

Anene, however, admitted that though other crimes to some extent still persisted in the state, there were no reported cases of ritual killings.

She also stressed that there was also no information or evidence about the existence of cannibals or human parts market in the state.

“We don’t have intelligence reports of the existence of any human parts market in Benue.

“So we have not really recorded any ritual killing, there are other crimes, but not this particular one. We are always on red alert,” she said.

According to Mr Terwase Shagbaor, Founder, Benue Patriotic Youths Movement, the people only hear and read about ritual killings in the media.

Shagbaor said the state was yet to record such heinous crimes.

He, therefore, encouraged Benue people, especially the youths, to steer clear of crime.

Also a motorcyclist, Agada Ogli, said that though his job entailed riding on the road day and night, he was yet to come across any suspected case of ritual killing in Benue.

Ogli, who also said motorcyclists often come across all kinds of crimes in the line of their duty, ritual killing was not one of them.

Source: Benue has no record of ritual killings – Police

Also:

Benue has no record of ritual killings – Police

Published: March , 2025
By: dolotop  – National Accord, Nigeria

There has not been any record of ritual killing in Benue, the Police Command in the state has said.

The command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Sewuese Anene, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) , on Sunday in Makurdi that there was no intelligence report to that effect.

Anene, however, admitted that though other crimes to some extent still persisted in the state, there were no reported cases of ritual killings.

She also stressed that there was also no information or evidence about the existence of cannibals or human parts market in the state.

“We don’t have intelligence reports of the existence of any human parts market in Benue.

“So we have not really recorded any ritual killing, there are other crimes, but not this particular one. We are always on red alert,” she said.

According to Mr Terwase Shagbaor, Founder, Benue Patriotic Youths Movement, the people only hear and read about ritual killings in the media.

Shagbaor said the state was yet to record such heinous crimes.

He, therefore, encouraged Benue people, especially the youths, to steer clear of crime.

Also a motorcyclist, Agada Ogli, said that though his job entailed riding on the road day and night, he was yet to come across any suspected case of ritual killing in Benue.

Ogli, who also said motorcyclists often come across all kinds of crimes in the line of their duty, ritual killing was not one of them. (NAN)

Source: Benue has no record of ritual killings – Police

‘Let’s work to end witch hunts in Adamawa State’ – Nigerian human rights activist Leo Igwe

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Leo Igwe is a renown Nigerian human rights activist, founder and president of Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW)

African countries face many problems. Most of these problems are the result of external causes. However, the problem attacked below by Leo Igwe, a renown Nigerian human rights activist, founder and leader of Advocacy for Alleged Witches, has a cause which lies within African societies and is within reach of local political and community leaders to solve.

The answer to the challenge which constitutes the definite eradication of superstition – hence the belief in witchcraft and witches – is (among other interventions) education, education and education! AfAW and Leo Igwe also emphasize this approach.

When looking at the budgets for education in African countries we cannot escape a feeling of dispair. Only a few African countries realize the education objectives agreed upon during international conferences, in international organizations or in national development plans.

African governments can rightly point to the failing support or sometimes undermining actions of governments of non-African countries and international corporations, but here is a problem in which they themselves have a hand in solving. What are they waiting for?
(webmaster FVDK)

Published: January 20, 2025
By: Leo Igwe – Sahara reporters

Greetings and salutations from the Advocacy for Alleged Witches and from all advocates against witch hunts in Nigeria and beyond on the occasion of this roundtable discussion on witch hunts and human rights violations in Adamawa state. I thank the National Human Rights Commission for the opportunity to collaborate and synergize against this superstition-based abuse. Witch hunting is a form of gender-based violence and we commend the commission for its commitment to addressing sexual and gender-based violence in Nigeria.  We hope that this event marks the beginning of our partnership. We hope it would be the first of so many to be held and organized in rallying against witchcraft accusations, witch persecution, and killing in the state. We are all delighted that the event is holding after years of planning, and postponement. And that advocates in this state have the opportunity to meet, discuss, interact, and exchange ideas on how to end human rights violations linked to beliefs in witchcraft and ritual attacks. Adamawa is one of the states where witch-hunting is pervasive. And let’s face it, this is not good news at all. Yes, it is not. Witch hunting in Adamawa is a cause for concern and needs to be treated with the urgency it deserves. We must join hands and end these violations now, not later, today, not tomorrow, this year, not next.

There have been growing cases of witchcraft accusations and killings in Adamawa. Incidentally, only a few are reported. Many more are not because they happen in rural areas and remote communities. Witch persecution happens mainly to people who cannot report the violations; those who do not know where and how to report. Victims of witch hunts are usually those who do not know that witch hunters are criminals who should be brought to justice. Many cannot report because they fear retribution, more abuse, and violation. But the situation is changing.

We have a recent case here in Adamawa where a couple suffocated a girl child to death for witchcraft. We understand that the case is in court. Local informants and advocates helped the police to intervene. We are also monitoring two other cases that involved the murder of the accused. Alleged witches are beaten to death, set ablaze, and murdered in cold blood. The people of Adamawa, how many deaths will it take till we know that too many people have been accused of witchcraft and subsequently killed? How many deaths will it take till we know that too many alleged witches have died? Know this the people of Adamawa: the world is watching and waiting for you to rise to the challenge and take all necessary measures to end witch hunts. Will you? 

We are aware that witch hunts would not stop when the police and courts are failing in their duties and when the authorities are doing little or nothing to address this miscarriage of justice. Witchcraft accusations are against the law. Jungle justice and trial by ordeal are against the law. But witch hunts continue despite existing legislations. Accusations are perpetrated with impunity. The police in Adamawa must rise to the occasion and enforce the law. They should make sure that perpetrators are arrested and brought to justice.

In many cases of witch hunts, the police do not intervene. And when they do so, the intervention comes too little too late. Many suspects are not arrested or charged in court. Sometimes, police arrest and detain suspects and later release them after paying a bribe. But the police cannot address this problem alone. Other state agencies need to fulfill their statutory duties.

Effective courts, diligent judges, and magistrates are needed. We need court officials who correctly interpret the law and ensure justice for the accused. Unfortunately, what we have here in Adamawa, and in other parts of Nigeria and the continent, is a case of justice delayed and eventually denied. The accused and their families suffer double victimization. The court processes are slow, too slow for comfort and justice. Court processes take many years to issue judgments. They make accused persons incur additional costs. Many alleged witches and families have been forced to abandon their cases and resign to their fate. We have it on authority regarding an ongoing case here in Adamawa, that the family of the victim is being pressured to leave the case so that perpetrators could go scot-free. 

Look,  the people and government of Adamawa, if the family of the victim in question is forced to abandon the case, there will be consequences. That will not reflect positively on you and your efforts to combat witch hunts. Know this: the world is watching.

You may recall that in 2021, there was an unfortunate development in the state. A chief magistrate misinterpreted the law. He invited a native doctor to help in the trial of an alleged witch in a court. That incident was a judicial scandal, a local and international embarrassment. It was a misapplication of the law and a misconception of national jurisprudence. That incident indicated how Adamawa was out of step in addressing the problem of witch hunts. AfAW raised concerns and petitioned the chief judge. We hope lessons have been learned, and that there will be no repeat of this charade in Adamawa in the future. We understand that witch believers would like to conduct witch trials in courts. But our laws are unambiguous on the issue of witchcraft accusations. Our laws do not recognize witchcraft. The law criminalizes witchcraft accusations and witch-hunting. Our courts are places to prosecute accusers, not the accused. As a state, Nigeria advocates against witchcraft accusations and witch persecution. Nigeria constitutionally protects and defends alleged witches. Let’s work together and uphold the law, not our beliefs.

AfAW exists to end witchcraft accusations, witch persecution, and killing in Nigeria, and, by extension, Africa. We work to change the mindset of the people, combat misinformation and disinformation, and other drivers of this menace. We invite all participants to join us to realize the vision of making witch hunting in Africa history by 2030, which is, 5 years from now. It is possible. It can be done. Thank you.

Source: Let’s Work To End Witch Hunts In Adamawa By Leo Igwe

Nigeria: ‘The wave of ritual killings’ – a plea for stiffer punishment to deter ritual murder

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The following plea for stiffer punishment for convicted ritual murderers contains a staggering fact: according to research conducted by an NGO, the West African Network for Peace Building, Nigeria recorded 185 ritual-related deaths between January 2021 and January 2022. Among the victims were 43 women, and 30 children in 80 cases across 20 states.

Please note that we talk here about recorded cases. The total number of missing persons who have fallen prey to ritual murderers is unknown, but estimated to be very high.
(webmaster FVDK)

Nigeria: The wave of ritual killings – a plea for stiffer punishment to deter the murderers

Published: December 11, 2024
By: Press Reader – Nigeria News

Source: The wave of ritual killings – Stiffer punishment is needed to deter the murderers

Kenya: ‘Cleansing’ ceremony to save a ‘bewitched’ woman’s life in Kilifi turns tragic

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The following series of articles I found both interesting and relevant to include here despite their gruesome contents. Introduction under construction (webmaster FVDK)

Please note: Unfortunately, references to links to related articles in the copied article(s) below don/t work. Interested readers are recommended to use the original text, if available.

‘Cleansing’ ceremony to save a ‘bewitched’ woman’s life in Kilifi turns tragic

Published: December 1, 2024
By: Brian Ocharo – Nation, Kenya

Source: ‘Cleansing’ ceremony to save a ‘bewitched’ woman’s life in Kilifi turns tragic

Also read:

The Aged, On Edge – Witchcraft and Abuse of the Elderly in Kilifi and Kwame County (Kenya)

By Fr Gabriel Dolan, ED Haki Yetu, July 2023.

“Haki Yetu which means “Our Rights” in Swahili was created to combat oppression, injustice and promote human rights as a principle for social justice in our communities of interest.” (Source: Haki Yetu, Inc.)

For the readers’ convenience follows the Table of Contents. Interested readers are advised to use the link below to gain access to the document.

Table of Contents
Acknowledgement i
Abbreviations iii
Foreword iv
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 The concept of witchcraft at the Coast 4
1.2.1 The potency of accusations 6
1.2.2 Oath taking and cleansing rituals 7

CHAPTER TWO: WITCHCRAFT RELATED RIGHTS VIOLATIONS 10
2.1 Introduction 10
2.2 Witchcraft related Homicide 11
2.2.1 Murder trends in Kilifi 13
2.2.2 Murder trends in Kwale 14
2.3 Emerging Trends 16
2.3.1 ‘Bebabeba’ and Rise of the killings 16
2.3.2 ‘Waombezi’ – the prophets of doom 16
2.3.3 Access to Justice for Victims and Survivors 18

CHAPTER THREE: CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS 20
3.1 Land Ownership Disputes 20
3.2 Administrative Inaction and Corruption 23
3.3 Weak Legislations and Enforcement Pathways 25
3.4 Ignorance/Misinformation/Lack of Awareness 28

CHAPTER FOUR: LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK 31
4.1 The Constitution of Kenya, 2010 32
4.2 The Witchcraft Act, CAP 67 Laws of Kenya 33
4.3 Witness Protection Act, CAP 79 36
4.4 The AU Protocol to the ACHPR on the Rights of Older Persons in Africa 37

CHAPTER FIVE: MVI SI UCHAWI CAMPAIGN 40
5.1 Haki Yetu’s interventions 40
5.2 Impact of Haki Yetu’s Interventions 45
5.3 Lessons learned challenges and good practices 46

CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 47
6.1 Recommendations 47
6.2 Conclusion 52

Source: The aged, on edge – witchcraft and abuse of the elderly in Kilifi and Kwale County

Also recommended :

Return of Kilifi witch killings worries authorities

Published: April 12, 2022
By: Maureen Ongala – Nation Media Group, Kenya

Source: Return of Kilifi witch killings worries authorities

Related articles:

Cries for justice for elderly women lynched on witchcraft claims

Published: January 13, 2022
By: Kamau Maichuhie – Nation Media Group

Source: Cries for justice for elderly women lynched on witchcraft claims

And:

Rabai MP faults police for rise in elderly killings

Published: October 29, 2021
By: Maureen Ongala – Nation Media Group, Kenya

Source: Rabai MP faults police for rise in elderly killings

And:

Kisii Governor Ongwae sets up witchcraft taskforce

Published: October 26, 2021
By: Ruth Mbula – Nation Media Group, Kenya

Source: Kisii Governor Ongwae sets up witchcraft taskforce

And also:

Witchcraft murders: Uhuru urged to look into plight of elderly in Kisii

Published: October 21, 2021
By: Ruth Mbula – Nation Media Group, Kenya

Source: Witchcraft murders: Uhuru urged to look into plight of elderly in Kisii

More:

‘She tried to bargain for her life’: Woman recounts granny’s plea to killer mob

Published: October 21, 2021
By: Ruth Mbula – Nation Media Group, Kenya

Relatives at the home of Sindega Maya, 83, in Marina on Monday. Maya was among four women lynched after they were accused of engaging inn witchcraft. (Ondari Omega / National Media Group).

Source: ‘She tried to bargain for her life’: Woman recounts granny’s plea to killer mob

And:

What Kenyan law says about witchcraft

Published: October 19, 2021
By: Stella Cherono – Nation Media group, Kenya

Screenshot – see the original article for details

Source: What Kenyan law says about witchcraft

And, finally, to illustrate that the problems of superstition, the belief in witchcraft and witches and of mob justice has a long history in Kenya:

Two women lynched and houses set on fire in witchcraft claims

Published: January 15, 2017 — updated on June 29, 2020
By: By HENRY NYARORA & JOSHUA ARAKA – Nation Media Group

Source: Two women lynched and houses set on fire in witchcraft claims

Witchcraft accusations and critical thinking: combating harmful effects of dogma and superstitions in Africa – by Leo Igwe (Nigeria)

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There’s no need to introduce Leo Igwe to the regular readers of my posts here on this site.

For those who’ve missed his articles and essays I may briefly refer to some of my previous posts, in 2018 (‘Confronting Superstition in Postcolonial Mozambique’), in 2021 (his comments on the arrest of suspected ritualists in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria), 2023 (‘Witchcraft Persecution and Advocacy without Borders in Africa’ and ‘A manifesto for a skeptical Africa’), and the current year 2024 (‘Ritual killing by 16-year-old indicates moral and educational failures’, commenting on a gruesome murder for ritual purposes in his home country Nigeria).

Leo Igwe is a famous human rights activist, an indefatigable fighter against superstition, witchcraft and ritualistic murders. In 2020 he started Advocacy for Alleged Witches. In this blog he regularly publishes on the lives of those affected by superstition and his organization’s efforts to save and/or to improve their lives.

The list of his achievements is too long to cite here, for shortness sake readers are referred to the internet where he is widely present.

Advocacy for Alleged Witches , created by Leo Igwe in 2020.

In a recent article published in Ghana Leo Igwe gives his views on witchcraft and the need to effectively fight superstition, not only in this West African country, but in all African countries. He does not hide his views and feelings, as will be clear when reading the following essay.

No need to elaborate further on his message. Let me invite you to start reading while praising Leo Igwe and the valuable work he’s doing!
(webmaster FVDK)

Witchcraft accusations and critical thinking: combating harmful effects of dogma and superstitions in Africa

Published: October 28, 2024
By: Leo Igwe – GhanaWeb

Leo Igwe works and campaigns to foster critical thinking skills in schools

Source: Witchcraft Accusations and Critical Thinking: Combating harmful effects of dogma and superstitions in Africa

Killing children for rituals is rife in Ghana and Kenya, research shows

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Warning: The following post contains graphic contents which may upset readers

The main findings and conclusions of the research are summarized below. It is important to note that the research focused on identified or reported ritual killing cases. It is very likely that the actual number of murders for ritualistic purposes is significantly higher.

  • In Ghana, 160 ritual killings were identified between 2012 and 2021, including 94 children (58.8%). This represents a yearly average of at least 9 victims.
  • In Kenya, 102 ritual killings were reported in the 2012 – 2021 period which figure includes 66 children (64.7%) or a yearly average of 6-7 victims.
  • The arrest rates were extremely low in both countries.
  • Greed, money, was the main motivation of ritual killers in combination with superstition, notably in Ghana. In Kenya, many perpetrators caught murdered in fulfillment of their membership of devil worship or occult sects.
  • Besides the belief in juju, also illiteracy, poverty and a failing justice system were important factors explaining the murdering of children for ritualistic purposes.
  • The authors of the study present some recommendations to fight ritualistic killings.

    To download the study (38 pp.) please click here.
    (webmaster FVDK)

    Killing children for rituals is rife in Ghana and Kenya, research shows
File Photo: Getty Images (screenshot)

Published: September 23, 2024
By: Emmanuel Sarpong Owusu – Modern Ghana

This important study, titled “Ritual Child Homicides in Ghana and Kenya: A Criminological Analysis”, is published in Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence at:
https://doi.org/10.23860/dignity.2024.09.02.04.

Source: Killing Children for Rituals is Rife in Ghana and Kenya, Research Shows

‘Ritual killing by 16-year-old indicates moral and educational failures’ – Leo Igwe (Nigeria)

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WARNING: The following post and articles contain graphic contents which may upset readers (webmaster FVDK)

The horrifying murder of a 4-year old by a 16-year old teenager in Lagos, Nigeria, has been in the news all over the African continent and elsewhere. I won’t dwell on it right now. Below I will provide a few links to articles covering the heartbreaking news.

Leo Igwe is a renown human activists who has denounced witchcraft practices and ritual related violence including murders on many occasions and I have on more than occasion drawn attention to his commendable activities. See my October 25, 2021 post.

For now I will stop. This case makes me too sad to continue. Since the crime is so repulsive I have decided not to publish the photo which accompanies the article below in its original publication and which has been included in many articles covering the same news. The following screenshot of a tweet captures the main story.

Below the reaction of Dr. Leo Igwe.
(webmaster FVDK)

Ritual Killing By 16-Year-Old Indicates Moral and Educational Failures – By Leo Igwe

Dr. Leo Igwe directs the Advocacy for Alleged Witches.

The Advocacy for Alleged Witches warns the public to be vigilant at this time and to resist any temptation to indulge in money-making rituals, or to go in search of human body parts. It is a fact, as this case shows, that people attack and murder others for ritual purposes. It is a fact that people procure human body parts for rituals. It is a fact that people indulge in some money ritual sacrifice of human body parts. However, there is no evidence that these sacrifices yield money or wealth as popularly believed and often portrayed in movies such as Nollywood films or African magic.

Published: September 17, 2024
By: Leo Igwe – Opinion Nigeria

The attention of the Advocacy for Alleged Witches has been drawn to a horrifying case of ritual attack and murder in Lagos, Nigeria. This incident involves a 16-year-old teenager, Azeez Tajudeen, who lives in the Ijanikin area in Lagos. Tajudeen lured a 4-year-old child, named Ibrahim to a nearby primary school and murdered him. He stabbed and strangled the child to death. He removed the intestines, kidneys, and private organs. Tajudeen said that a man named Osho asked him to get him some human parts and promised to pay him fifty thousand naira(thirty dollars) for the service.

The Advocacy for Alleged Witches is outraged over the gruesome killing of this child and other instances of ritual attacks and bloodletting in the country. AfAW is aware of another case of ritual murder of a girl by the supposed boyfriend in another part of the country. These cases of ritual attack and killing are a clear demonstration of moral and educational failures. Skeptically oriented Nigerians must rise to the challenge of reorienting the public and promoting reason and scientific thinking.

At a time when Nigeria is going through an unprecedented economic crisis that has led to multidimensional poverty, stress and distress, despair, hunger, and uncertainties, one expects an increase in cases of ritual attacks. Many people are vulnerable; they could easily be lured to engage in ritual sacrifice and to explore purported ritual means of making money. More people are likely to embrace ritual money-making narratives or consult ritualists for some help. Ritualists and other self-acclaimed occultists will tell seekers of ritual money to go in search of human body parts.

As in this case, those who cannot get the human parts would commission others to do so on their behalf. Some people are inclined to accept such assignments and undertake to attack and murder others in the quest to make some income.

The Advocacy for Alleged Witches warns the public to be vigilant at this time and to resist any temptation to indulge in money-making rituals, or to go in search of human body parts. It is a fact, as this case shows, that people attack and murder others for ritual purposes. It is a fact that people procure human body parts for rituals. It is a fact that people indulge in some money ritual sacrifice of human body parts. However, there is no evidence that these sacrifices yield money or wealth as popularly believed and often portrayed in movies such as Nollywood films or African magic.

Ritual money or wealth is fiction and has no basis in reason, science or reality. As this case has illustrated, there is an urgent need to reeducate and reorient children and youths in the country. Superstition is destroying the moral fiber of the society. And it is the responsibility of this generation of Nigerians and Africans to end ritual attacks and sacrifice. Young people are often the victims and the perpetrators because they are socialized to believe that ritual money is real. Unfortunately, it is not. At home and in schools, children and youths are taught and told about the ritual processes of achieving success. They are made to think that ritual wealth is a fact. Hence, some youths are motivated to indulge in vicious attacks and murder other human beings, including their parents and relatives. Nigerian authorities need to encourage critical thinking in schools and society. They should get students to question and examine ritual money narratives and associated superstitions. Nigeria needs to execute an intense public education and enlightenment campaign and get the public to abandon ritual money beliefs and embrace critical thinking and science-based means of making money and acquiring wealth.

Source: Ritual Killing By 16-Year-Old Indicates Moral and Educational Failures -By Leo Igwe

Related articles:

Ritual Killing By 16-Year-Old Indicates Moral and Educational Failures
By Leo Igwe – Modern Ghana; September 17, 2024

Tragedy in Lagos: 16-Year-Old Arrested for Harmful Incident Involving Neighbor
By: Medium, Nigeria; September 17, 2024

Uganda: The grim badge of human sacrifice – Details of the Annual Crime Report 2023

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In February of the current year the Ugandan police launched the Annual Crime Report for 2023.

I was triggered and started searching the internet for the Crime Report after reading a recent article in the Monitor, an Ugandan online newspaper, entitled: The grim badge of human sacrifice. Unfortunately, the access to the article is restricted to subscribers (click here).

Readers interested in the article’s full contents may register and thus obtain access. The article’s beginning is quite revealing and stimulated my interest:

“The discovery of huge number of human skulls in shrines across the country shows how widespread the use of body parts is in ritualistic practices.

The police 2023 crime report show that ritual killings nearly doubled from 46 cases in 2021 to 84 cases in 2023, and increased at around 17 per cent …”

Published: February 21, 2024
By: Mpalangi Ssentongo, Depuy Photo Editor – New Vision, Uganda

The article contains a large number of photos but unfortunately hardly any relevant information.

Source: PICTURES: Police launches 2023 annual crime report

I was triggered by the scarce information on crimes for ritualistic purposes in the above cited articles and started searching on the internet.

Luckily, my search was rewarded!

On the website of the Ugandan Police Force I traced an article, published February 23, 2024 Annual Crime Report 2023 containing the full contents of the report.

The Inspector general of the Uganda Police Force, J.M. Okoth-Ochola (Esq), stated in his introductory remarks:

“It is my pleasure to present the Uganda Police Force Annual Crime Report for 2023 so as to account to the population on how the Uganda Police Force is fulfilling its mandate as stipulated under Article 212 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda.

In 2023, we note that there was a 1.5% decrease in the number of crimes reported to Police from 231,653 cases reported in 2022 to 228,074 cases. I take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to those who were able to lodge their complaints at various stations of the Uganda Police Force in the year 2023. It is these reported complaints that enable us compile Annual Crime Reports.

Relatedly, the force has focused on strengthening discipline and adherence to human rights by introducing disciplinary courts in all districts across the country. The introduction of disciplinary courts marks a significant milestone for the Uganda Police Force. These courts aim at enforcing discipline within the force, ensuring that officers adhere to professional standards and human rights. For instance, out of 933 complaints of human rights violations by the police, 794 were thoroughly investigated.”

It is a very interesting report. I will focus here on the crimes with ritualistic motives. Readers interested in other issues are advised to consult the report.

The population of Uganda by mid-2023 was estimated at 45,562,000 people. The reported number of homicides between 2019 and 2023 varied between 4,718 cases in 2019, 3,912 in 2021 and 4,248 in 2023 (Table 6, p.33).

Table 16 on p.47 gives us more details:

Here I single out two crime categories: murder by mob action (number 2) and ritual murders (number 10).

Paragraph 1.3.4.2 provides more details with respect to murders by mob action (Table 19, p.49). Unfortunately, no details are provided with respect to ritualistic crimes. On p.117 mention is made of ‘Disturbing the peace of the dead’ which may refer to a kind of criminal activities related to witchcraft and ritualistic practices but the report does not provide further details. Appendix I: Crimes by crime analysis, however, gives us some insight in ritualistic murders and the number of persons taken to court (p.130).

So we notice that in 1.8% of the reported cases of mob action witchcraft triggered the action: 18 out of 1,039 cases. Interestingly, more men than women were killed in such ‘jungle justice’ actions: 11 respectively 5. However, it cannot be ruled out that the category ‘Any other’ (Number 6) which represents more than 20% of all reported cases – and took the lives of 228 persons – also includes actions triggered by accusations of witchcraft.

We have seen above (Table 16) that the number of reported murders for ritualistic purposes in the 2021 – 2023 period were 46 (2021), 72 (2022) and 84 (in 2023) which means it nearly doubled between 2021 and 2023.

Appendix I shows that only 11 cases out of the 84 reported cases in 2023 led to the trial of the suspected ritual killers. In all, 18 accused stood trial: 14 men and 4 women. All trials were pending in court at the time of publication of the 2023 crime report.

The Ugandan authorities are to be commended for publishing such a detailed report providing insight in the motives and background of crimes committed in the country. As fas as ritualistic murders are concerned more research and analysis is needed to get a full picture of these outdated and horrific crimes which have no place in a modern society.

Uganda: The grim badge of human sacrifice

Monitor, Uganda – Tuesday, September 10, 2024

The plight of people with albinism in Zambia – a cry for protection and assistance

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Zambia’s Eastern Province is notoriously known for its ritualistic murders. Allegedly, the country’s Eastern Province records the highest number of ritualistic murder cases.

I’ve posted earlier on the plight of people with albinism in Zambia and the attacks on and murder of innocent people in this remote province of Zambia. In 2019, within a short period of time, two murder cases were reported. In March the following year, another gruesome murder was committed in the Eastern Province. In Chipata, the mutilated body of the albino victim was discovered with tongue, eyes and arms missing. The Executive Director of the National Albinism Initiative Network of Zambia, Ruth Zulu, deplored the stigmatization, discrimination and murder of people and published a plea for a legal framework to address this nationwide problem. In vain. The murders continued as the article below painfully demonstrates.

Katerina Mildnerova, a Czech social and cultural anthropologist, and Antonio Costa, an independent photojournalist originally from Mozambique, are to be commended for their initiative.
Read more about their cry for help and protection of people living with albinism in Zambia below.
(FVDK)

The plight of people with albinism in Zambia – a cry for protection and assistance

Published: May 10, 2024
By: Znesnáze – Olomouc / Organizer: Nadační fond pomoci

In the middle of the night, there was a pounding on the door. “Open up, Zambian police!” I see four masked men. They broke into the house where I was sleeping with my children. They pointed guns at me and threatened me, “If you scream, we’ll kill you.” Two of them dragged me behind the house and held a gun to my head. Then I heard a terrible scream. “Mommy, mommy, they chopped my sister’s arm!” My son sobbed with tears. At that moment, those two men threw me to the ground and started to run away. I came into the room and saw my daughter in a pool of blood…” 

The brutal attack on little Jemimah took place in June 2021 in the Northern Province of Zambia. The two-year-old girl lost her right arm, which was chopped off by unknown attackers with a machete. This case has not yet been investigated by the Zambian police and none of the attackers have been persecuted and sentenced. Jamimah lives with other children with albinism in an orphanage in the capital Lusaka. In the same year two other nine-year-old boys were ritually attacked and mutilated. One lost his right arm, the other his fingers. 

These stories are just some of the many we encountered during our research in 2023. 

Since 2015, Zambia has faced an increasing number of abductions, mutilations and ritual killings of people with albinism, in most cases defenceless children. Their body parts are used for making magical objects that are supposed to provide their owners with wealth, power or prestige. While these murders are most often committed by family members of the victims while still in Zambia, body parts are smuggled through organised crime networks into neighbouring countries – Malawi, Tanzania and Mozambique. The largest number of ritual killings of albinos occur in the Eastern Province, the poorest region of Zambia. The victims of the attacks, if they manage to escape, continue to live in permanent fear for their lives, as the perpetrators are not prosecuted in the vast majority of cases. After an attack, children are placed in state orphanages, where they receive temporary protection, they are removed from their natural family environment and have to cut off contact with their parents and siblings. 

In addition to the threat to their safety, people with albinism face enormous health risks due to the lack of medication and protective equipment. Skin and eye cancer is the most common cause of their premature deaths. Albinos in Zambia live to an average age of only 40 years, 22 years less than the national average.

Most affected families live at or below the extreme poverty line. They cannot afford to provide education for their children because safety and health care must understandably take priority. Families lack the means to afford school supplies, school uniforms or even just the dioptric glasses necessary for reading and writing at school. Yet education is the ticket to a better future, without the daily fear for one’s survival. In Zambia, there is a belief that a child with albinism is the result of infidelity and the source of a family curse, which unfortunately often leads to the mother and child being abandoned by the father and the wider family. A single mother‘s status is inevitably linked to a life of poverty and it is very difficult for her to break this vicious cycle.

FUNDRAISING

Fundraising is ongoing via the crowdfunding platform Znesnaze21 from May to September 2024. It is aimed at purchasing direct material assistance for the most vulnerable families living below the extreme poverty line in the Eastern Province of Zambia (single mothers, children, victims of ritual attacks). The purchase and transportation of the material aid will be arranged by the organizer of the fundraiser in collaboration with the Butterfly Foundation of Zambia – a non-profit organization that has assisted the most adversely affected families with albinism in the Eastern Province of Zambia since 2017.

Our assistance targets three main areas: 

Security. Ensuring the protection of homes – security locks on doors, window bars and fencing 

Health. Prevention of skin cancer – sunscreen factor 50+, sunglasses, hats

Education. Basic school supplies – notebooks, stationery, uniforms and dioptric glasses

ABOUT THE BORN DIFFERENT PROJECT

Born Different is a project by the Czech anthropologist Katerina Mildnerova and the Mozambican photojournalist Antonio Cossa under the auspices of Palacky University in Olomouc. It is based on the creative linking of art and science, cultural anthropology and photography and draws on a series of team fieldworks in Zambia and Benin (2023-2024). It includes a travelling photographic exhibition, lectures and forthcoming popular science book.

Our primary aim is to raise public awareness about injustice, discrimination and human rights violations against people with albinism in Africa, particularly in Zambia. We want to stimulate a discussion about protecting the lives and rights of people with albinism in order to stop the violence and ritual killings that happen every day and which do not receive adequate attention. We are also endeavouring to help to improve their extremely difficult living conditions through public charitable fundraising efforts.

For more information, visit our website at www.borndifferent.upol.cz

(available from 17. 5. 2024)

ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

Katerina Mildnerova is Czech social and cultural anthropologist specializing in sub-Saharan Africa. She holds a PhD in ethnology from the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen. Since 2015 she has been working as a researcher and assistant professor at the Department of Sociology, Andragogy and Cultural Anthropology at Palacky University Olomouc. Since 2019 she is the president of the Czech Association of African Studies. She has conducted dozens of field researches in Zambia, Benin and Namibia and has lectured at several universities in Africa and Europe. She specializes in religious anthropology and medical anthropology. She is the author of dozens of academic articles and book chapters and five monographs of her own. She is co-author of the documentary film Black Czechs (2022) and founder of non-governmental organization Association for Support of Namibian Czechs. She is currently working on the project Born different with Antonio Cossa.

ANTONIO COSSA

An independent photojournalist originally from Mozambique, based in Prague. He has worked as a documentary photographer since 2004, collaborating with institutions such as the British Council and UNICEF. He has had a rich professional career focusing on war, refugee crisis and social issues. His work specializes in war conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, the refugee crisis on the Greek-Turkish border, documenting the situation of the Rohingya in Bangladesh and the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, he has been officially accredited by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence as a war photojournalist. In recent years he has also photographed climate refugees in Mozambique after Cyclone Idai. His latest project focuses on albino survivors of ritual attacks in Zambia. He is also a portrait photographer and has photographed many of the world’s most famous people, including Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Vaclav Havel, 

His portfolio includes dozens of exhibitions around the world, lectures and workshops for students and the general public. Antonio Cossa is also a founder of the non-governmental organization Frontline Care whose main objective is to support victims of climate change and war refugees.

Source: ASSISTANCE TO PEOPLE WITH ALBINISM IN ZAMBIA!