Nigeria: Muslim Group dissociates members from ritual killings in Iwoland (Osun State)

Iwoland refers to the territory covered by the Iwo Kingdom. The Iwo Kingdom is a traditional state based on the city of Iwo in Osun State, Nigeria.

Osun State is one of Nigeria’s 36 states. It is located in southwestern Nigeria and with a population of about 5 million people it is Nigeria’s nineteenth most populous state (whereas it is the ninth smalles in area). The total population of Nigeria is an estimated 200 million people. 
Ogun State’s main ethnic group is Yoruba including Bolo, Igbomina, Ijesha and Oyo subgroups. Ogun State has a large Christian and Muslim population as well as people who are traditional believers. (webmaster FVDK)

Muslim Group Dissociates Members From Ritual Killings In Iwo Community

Published: December 4, 2022
By: Adeolu Adeyemo Oso – Nigerian Tribune

Organisation of Iwoland Muslims for Societal Responsibilities on Sunday dissociated its members from the spate of ritual killings and other criminal acts being carried out by some unknown persons in the town.

The group which condemned the inhumane act in a communique issued and signed by Sheikh Musakalimullah Olaitan after its meeting pointed out that if any Islamic clerics get involved, they should not be spared in facing the penalty.

He thereafter called on security agencies to fish out those that might have been responsible for the untoward acts and bring them to book.

“The security agencies should double their efforts in searching for the perpetrators of the past incidences in protecting future occurrences.

“The security agencies are hereby advised to ensure that identities of perpetrators are revealed, whenever they are caught and be punished accordingly, no matter how highly placed in the society.

“Members of the communities are also enjoined to work and cooperate with the security agencies in curbing this menace, by alerting the relevant authorities whenever evil men are suspected around their environments.

“Members of the organisation and indeed all religious leaders across Iwoland are by this release enjoined to always preach against the ritual and other gatherings in accordance with the teachings of Qur’an.”

Sheikh Musakalimullah added that preaching against the act should also be carried out all their respective mosques, schools and other gatherings in accordance with the teachings of Quran and sunnah.

“Also, the government and those in the judicial circle should not relent in righting all wrongs concerning the matter,” he stressed.

Source: Muslim Group Dissociates Members From Ritual Killings In Iwo Community

Also:

Expose ritual killers in Iwo, group tells police

Published: December 4, 2022
By: Punch, Nigeria

Security agents in Osun State, have been challenged to expose those behind ritual killings in Iwo town, regardless of their status, in a bid to stop the barbaric act.

This demand was made in Iwo town on Sunday by a group, the Organisation of Iwoland Muslims for Societal Responsibilities, at a press conference held at Iwo Central Mosque.

The group, in a communique signed by its Secretary, Sheikh Musakalimullah Abdlhadi, but read by Dr Abdulaziz Bello, also declared that killing for ritual henceforth should not be associated with Muslim clerics in the community, adding that a true believer would not engage in such activities. 

The communique further read, “The organisation frowns at, and condemns the rampant and incessant act of ritual killings in Iwoland. We also frown on associating the evil act of the ritual killings with the Muslim clerics in Iwoland.

“The Organisation, therefore, calls on the security agencies to double their efforts in searching for the perpetrators of past incidences. The security agencies are by this release called upon to ensure that the identities of perpetrators are disclosed whenever any of such are caught and that they are brought to book, no matter how high in status, including any Islamic clerics involved.

“Members of the communities are also enjoined to work and cooperate with the security agencies in curbing this menace, by alerting the relevant authorities whenever any evil acts or evil men are suspected around.”

Source: Expose ritual killers in Iwo, group tells police

Oluwo to Yoruba activists: use energy for pursuing herders to address ritual killings in southwest of the country (Nigeria)

The Paramount Ruler of Iwoland, Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has again raised his voice against the seemingly endless killing of innocent citizens for ritual purposes in Nigeria. Its is not the first time, as I have repeatedly said here on this site.

In 2020, on at least three occasions, and also the year before, he drew attention to this ugly crime and spared no one when elaborating on the culprits. Read what he said on October 21 (‘Ritual killing deadlier and more devastating than SARS’), August 20 (‘Oluwo to lead protest against ritual killings‘), January 29 (‘Amotekun should fight ritual killings’) in 2020 and on August 9, 2019 (“I’ll declare traditional war against ritual killings if FG fails to address menace”).  

This week, on February 24, he said what I always feared and have indicated multiple times. The Paramount Chief said no one can account for the number of lives lost to ritual per day. He said: “No crime is good but there are more ritual killings in the South. It consumes an unaccountable number of our sons and daughters every day. Only a few are reported while many were not caught.”

A gruesome reality. Repeatedly I have drawn attention to the unaccountable number of ritualistic murders in Africa’s most populated country. More action is needed by federal authorities and on the state level. Perpetrators must be caught and tried, the rue of law should be upheld, and a nation-wide public awareness campaign should start immediately aiming at rooting out this cancer of the Nigerian society, fighting this disease based on superstition and ignorance. (webmaster FVDK)

Oluwo To Yoruba Activists: Use Energy For Pursuing Herders To Address Ritual Killings In South-West

Oluwo said no one can account for the number of lives lost to ritual per day, saying it will amount to disservice if such could not be addressed by Yoruba activists.

The Paramount Ruler of Iwoland, Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi

Published: February 24, 2021
By: SaharaReporters, News York

The Paramount Ruler of Iwoland, Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has urged Yoruba agitators and freedom fighters to commit their energy towards ending ritual killings consuming innocent sons and daughters of Yoruba in their thousands rather than attacking Fulani herdsmen.

The monarch urged agitators to be more interested in probing crimes and not attacking ethnic groups.

He, however, condemned the kidnapping, raping, and killing by some herders across the region.

Oluwo said no one can account for the number of lives lost to ritual per day, saying it will amount to disservice if such could not be addressed by Yoruba activists.

He said, “No crime is good but there are more ritual killings in the South. It consumes an unaccountable number of our sons and daughters every day.

“Only a few are reported while many were not caught. Yorubas should dissipate more energy in checkmating ritual killers and openly protest against them.  Someone’s son and daughter are being killed by ritualists at the moment. There is a baby-making factory in the South.  When are we protesting against that?”

Oba Akanbi claimed he is a preacher of peace and a united Nigeria, describing ethnicity as “ungodly and enemy of humanity”.

He said, “I stand on the path of peace and to me, that is the path of honor. Nigeria’s ethnic diversity is too fragile to be drumming ethnic war. I remain an unrepentant preacher of peace and a one, united Nigeria.

“Ethnicity is Ungodly. No faith preaches attack on all because of the crime committed by the few. Prosecute the criminals and probe crimes, not the tribe. Nigeria is a nation of ethnic diversities. Peace and unity are our strengths, not war. I never regret beating the drum of peace. We should rather hang on Fulanis to produce the bad eggs among them and not a total condemnation of the tribe. Even if it is the Igbo tribe that is being persecuted because of the bad few, I will stand to defend the good ones among them.

“Yoruba race is one of the best with rich cultural value. I love her people. I’ve never sold even a plot of my subjects’ land or anything from them since enthronement. Even, my salary is dedicated to the poor in my hometown. For what gain and purpose will I now mislead or sell them out? Never. What I preach is peace and truthfulness. The path to peace is to prosecute individual crimes and not their tribe. I stand on this and will keep repeating it.”

He further called on the government to ensure quality formal education and enlightenment on modern ranching for Fulani children.

Source: Oluwo To Yoruba Activists: Use Energy For Pursuing Herders To Address Ritual Killings In South-West

Nigeria: ‘Amotekun should fight ritual killings and traditional corruption’, says the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi

It is not the first time that the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi speaks out against ritual killings in his country, disapproving and criticizing politicians and traditional rulers. See e.g. my August 21, 2019 posting entitled ‘Nigeria: Oluwo to lead protest against ritual killings, corruption’. Recently, he again raised his voice. Read below what he said. The Oluwo is to be commended for his frankness and courage. I sincerely hope that he will be heard. Nigeria is Africa’s most populated country. It ranks in the top 5 of African countries where ritualistic murders are committed on a regular basis.

‘Operation Amotekun’ is the codename for the establishment of the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN). Recently, the Federal Government and the six governors of the region (Western Nigeria) reached agreement on the establishment of the WNSN, see: ‘Amotekun: Buhari, Osinbajo’s intervention smoothens rough edges’, published on January 29, 2020 by Muritala Ayinla in the New Telegraph, Nigeria (see below). 
(webmaster FVDK).

The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi

Amotekun should fight ritual killings, ‘traditional corruption’—Oluwo
Published: January 29, 2020
By: Daily Trust, Nigeria

The Oluwo of Iwoland Oba, (Dr.) Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, on Wednesday called on Yoruba stakeholders to use the regional security outfot codenamed Amotekun to checkmate what he called the incessant traditional corruption and ritual killings. 

The royal father said politicians should be held responsible for trading their game with kidnapping.

In a statement by his press secretary, Alli Ibraheem, Oluwo said: “Amotekun as an institution should be made to fight traditional corruption most especially ritual killings consuming our children’s blood daily. There is blood of innocent people in the street. It is a failure on the part of government, traditional institution and other stakeholders that no severe legislation is enacted to punish ritual killers and their accomplice” 

“I’m not condemning Amotekun, but better direction of job specification should be streamlined. It is disheartening we misplaced our priority. Tell me a day you don’t read in the newspapers or hear on radio of innocent boys and girls being killed by ritual killers with part(s) removed?

“I want to charge all the stakeholders to streamline the activities of Amotekun to prioritize checkmating of ritual killings to protect innocent lives and enact death penalty for any culprit caught killing human for rituals. I’m not happy with ritual killers. They are not human. Government should help us by enacting a law against ritual killers. 

It must stop. Human are not animals that you slaughter, killed and dismembered. It is an aberration. Such is never part of any culture. We should empower Amotekun to challenge such barbaric act.

“Additionally, to fight traditional corruption, we need agents of unquestionable characters and not accomplice of ritual killings. We need a transparent institution that will lead us out of daily killing of our children for money, promotion, popularity etc”

Source: Amotekun should fight ritual killings, ‘traditional corruption’—Oluwo

Related article: ‘Amotekun: Buhari, Osinbajo’s intervention smoothens rough edges’
Published: January 29, 2020
By: New Telegraph, Nigeria – Muritala Ayinla 

Nigeria: Oluwo to lead protest against ritual killings, corruption

It’s not the first time that the Oluwo of Iwoland, Abdulrasheed Akanbi, speaks out against ritualistic murders (see my May 21 and August 11, 2019 postings) and it won’t be the last time either. He is courageous to raise his voice against this practice, which is based on superstition, greed, ignorance AND the absence of the rule of law. Governments must act: governments are obliged to protect their citizens and to uphold the law, to punish perpetrators of heinous crimes such as ritualistic killings, known as ‘money rituals’ in Nigeria.

Traditional leaders have a responsibility too. On previous occasions, the Oluwo of Iwoland, Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has even accused his fellow traditional rulers of complicity, of being involved in ritualistic killings in their domains (see my May 11, 2019 posting). True or not true, failing to address the issue and educate their people, traditional rulers may be reproached to be responsible – to a certain extent – of the atrocities committed (webmaster FVDK).

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi

Published: August 20, 2019
By: Brendan Umoren  – Today (Nigeria)

Oluwo of Iwoland, HIM Oba (Dr.) Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has declared readiness to lead a national protest against ritual killings and corruption in the country.

He lamented the impotency of government at tackling ritual menace, stating that ritual killing is prevalence but deadlier than kidnapping.

Oluwo stated protection of lives is the primary responsibility of the government, noting such can be credited until ritual killings is checkmated by the present administration.

He equally vowed to declare an open protest against corruption characterising public officials in Nigeria.

Oluwo decry daily loss of innocent lives to ritual killings, saying it is an aberration to culture and highest denial of right to life.

According to a statement by the monarch’s press secretary, Alli Ibraheem, Oluwo called for enactment of strict penal system against human ritualists and corrupt individual to safeguard human and protect their lives.

“It is saddens no attention is paid by the federal government to prevalence ritual killings pervading our country. Thousands fall victim of ritual on daily basis but regrettably, no one condemns such. I’m not happy with the neglect of my outcry on daily killings of my sons and daughters by ritualists. These people are deadlier than Bokoharam and kidnappers. I will lead thousands of Nigerians with like minds on national protest against human ritualists and corrupt individual.

“Right now, as I’m talking, evil men are somewhere killing human for rituals in the name of money and promotion. Few relate offering human for sacrifice as culture, no, it is an aberration to every culture. No culture accepts human as sacrifice ” he said.

Oluwo added that “I’m appealing to federal government to declare war against ritual killings. Strict penalty like death should be meted on any one culpable. Killers should be killed. Killing is not a forgivable offence. If federal government refuse, I will declare an open traditional war against ritualists and front a national protest.

“The Afeniferes, OPCs, Agbekoyas and other pan Yoruba cultural groups should join the revolution against ritual killings. Many gave gone to the journey of no return in the hands of ritual killers. It is pathetic, sad and calls for urgent legislation. Ritual killing is decimating our population daily. Must we continue watching the menace? Those in the government are not seeing what we see. Ritual murders is prevalent on the south west, south east. We must rise before it claim all out promising sons and daughters.

“I want to state it clearly here that killing human for rituals is not Yoruba culture. It is alien to our culture. Yoruba culture is pure, clean and attractive. Look at my dress, it is enticing, fascinating, ostentatious and attractive. Only the ignorance and enemies of Yoruba culture will relate ritual killings to Yoruba culture.”

Oluwo said declaring emergency war against ritual killings is acute to secure human lives.

Source: Oluwo to lead protest against ritual killings, corruption

Related article: I’ll lead protest against ritual killings, corruption – Oluwo

Published: August 21, 2019
By: Hameed Oyegbade, Osogbo

The Oluwo of Iwoland,  Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, on Tuesday said he would lead a national protest against ritual killings and corruption.
 
Oluwo, in a statement by his press secretary, Alli Ibrahim, alleged government’s inability to tackle ritual killings which, according to him, are deadlier than kidnapping.
The first-class traditional ruler decried daily loss of lives to ritual killings, describing it as “an aberration to culture and highest denial of right to life.”

Oluwo advocated death penalty for ritualists and corrupt individuals.

He stated: “Thousands fall victim of rituals on a daily basis, but regrettably, no one condemns such. I’m not happy with the neglect of my outcry on daily killings of my sons and daughters by ritualists. Right now as I’m talking, evil men are somewhere killing humans for rituals in the name of money and promotion. No culture accepts human beings as sacrifice. “Killers should be killed. Killing is not a forgivable offence. If the federal government refuses, I’ll declare an open traditional war against ritualists and front a national protest. “Those in the government are not seeing what we see. Ritual killings are prevalent in the southwest and southeast.  I want to state it clearly here that killing humans for rituals is not Yoruba culture. It is alien to our culture. Yoruba culture is pure, clean and attractive.”

Source: I’ll lead protest against ritual killings, corruption – Oluwo

The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi.

“I’ll declare traditional war against ritual killings if FG fails to address menace” – Oluwo of Iwoland (Nigeria)

It is not the first time that the traditional ruler of Iwoland (Osun state), Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi speaks out against ritual killings in Nigeria. On May 19 of the current year he alleged that some traditional rulers are behind the ritual killings in their domains in Nigeria. See my May 21, 2019 posting. A shocking accusation and an interesting development. What drives the Oluwo the make these sensational accusations against his fellow-rulers – apart from his feeling of justice?
We will follow further developments and keep the readers of the present website informed as soon as more news emerges. (webmaster FVDK)

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi

Published: August 9, 2019
By: Victor Ogunyinka – Vanguard (Nigeria) 

Oluwo of Iwoland, HIM Oba (Dr.) Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has challenged the federal government, FG, of Nigeria for their negligence in tackling incessant ritual killings in the west, claiming ritualism is deadlier than kidnapping in the zone.

The monarch lamented daily loss of innocent individuals to ritualists, urging federal government to dissipate equal concentration to ritual killings as done to kidnapping and bokoharam fightings.

Oluwo disclosed this yesterday while hosting the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Abdulmajid Ali in his palace as further reiterated in a press statement by the monarch’s press secretary, Alli Ibraheem.

Oluwo declared an open traditional war will be stage against ritual killers if federal government fail to address his outcry and curtail the menace.

The monarch condemned the ritual killings menace as uncultured, barbaric, callousness, Ungodly, inhumane and an affront on right to lives, stating the refusal to declared war and criminalize such act by the federal government is worrisome to his stool.

He said ritual killings should be vehemently fought more than the war against Boko Haram and kidnapping, called for urgent enactment of fatal penalty for perpetrators of ritual killings.

Oluwo further discredited the claim by some traditionalists relating ritual killings with culture as desecration of tradition itself, saying no culture accept human as sacrifice.

The statement reads: “It saddens no attention is paid to ritual killings by the federal government. Thousands fall victim of ritual on daily basis but regrettably, no one condemns such. I’m not happy with the neglect of my outcry on daily killings of my sons and daughters by ritualists. These people are deadlier than Boko Haram and kidnappers.

“I’m appealing to federal government to declare war against ritual killings. Strict penalty like death should be meted on any one culpable. Killers should be killed. Killing is not a forgivable offence. If the FG refuses, I will declare an open traditional war against ritualists.

“The Afeniferes, OPCs, Agbekoyas and other pan Yoruba cultural groups should join the revolution against ritual killings. Many gave gone to the journey of no return in the hands of ritual killers. It is pathetic, sad and calls for urgent legislation. Ritual killing is decimating our population daily. Must we continue watching the menace? Those in the government are not seeing what we see. Ritual murders is prevalent on the south west, south east. We must rise before it claim all out promising sons and daughters.

“I want to state it clearly here that killing human for rituals is not Yoruba culture. It is alien to our culture. Yoruba culture is pure, clean and attractive. Look at my dress, it is enticing, fascinating, ostentatious and attractive. Only the ignorance and enemies of Yoruba culture will relate ritual killings to Yoruba culture.

“Bible, Quran and traditionalists should not justify offering human for rituals. Clean religious clerics and traditionalists should join my preaching,” the monarch said.

Oluwo appealed to Nigerian citizens to exercise fear of God in their conducts.

Source: I’ll declare traditional war against killings if FG fails to address menace – Oluwo

Iwo is a City in Osun State, Nigeria that is the seat of the Iwo Kingdom, a traditional state