Nigeria: Money rituals explained – Money ritual seekers’ dark walk into deceit, misery

Posted on March 18, 2023 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

The following article is highly recommended reading, excellent work by Victor Ayeni!

In Nigeria, nearly every day ‘money rituals’ are reported, maybe not surprising in view of the country’s large population of well over 200 million people – Africa’s largest – even though just one ritual murder is already one too much. However, on the other hand, it could well be that the cases known and reported are only the tip of an iceberg.

But what do we know about ‘money rituals’, as ritual murders are being called in this part of the African continent? Most articles reporting on these crimes, which are driven by greed – for power, prestige or wealth – and based on superstition, are superficial. It is hard to find an article which treats this phenomenon in depth and in a serious way. The Nigerian journalist Victor Ayeni has done a great job and he’s to be commended for this achievement.

The traditional history of ritualistic killings and human sacrifices point to protection of the community’s interest by sacrificing one of its members. Cruel as this might be in our eyes nowadays, in the 21st century, back then relatives of the victim may have been proud of their family member’s contribution to the community.
We see nowadays in many parts of the African continent that the ritualistic act which demands the death of the victim is for the (pretended, aimed) benefit of one person only who thus wants to increase his or her power, wealth or health. Moreover, the victim is often picked at random. Involuntary, the victim is attacked and tortured, what results is a gruesome, a wicked crime. Sometimes, specific groups are targeted, e.g. people with albinism, hunchbacks or bald people.

In some countries ambitious politicians tend to resort to these practices in the hope of increasing their political chances and success, resulting an increase in ritual murders during election campaigns. It’s a shocking reality – even though we don’t known the full scale of it.

‘Money rituals’ in Nigeria show another characteristic: some people consider it a business model, which enables them to ‘earn’ money from superstitious people who believe that by using another man’s organs or other body parts, ‘juju’ will be created, to their personal benefit.

Victor Ayeni explains well how this works in Nigeria. A very informative article which ends with the question ‘Are money rituals real or a fiction?’

The reader may answer this question for him- or herself after reading Ayeni’s valuable article.
(webmaster FVDK)

Money ritual seekers’ dark walk into deceit, misery

Published: March 18, 2023
By: Victor Ayeni, Punch – Nigeria

VICTOR AYENI explores the subject of money ritual in popular culture, religious houses, and Nollywood movies, why the purveyors of the belief succeed in deceiving youths, and its implications on the public

The apprehension in the air was so thick that one could cut through it with a knife as Olajide (surname withheld) narrated his journey through a maze of confusion.

The 27-year-old graduate was helping a friend manage a pig farm in Osogbo, Osun State, when another friend introduced him to Internet scam, which in Nigerian lingo is called Yahoo Yahoo.

But his experience shocked the wits out of him.

“I was being paid N10,000 per month at the farm, but the money couldn’t meet my needs as time went on, so a friend of mine bought me an iPhone and from there, I was introduced to Yahoo Yahoo.

“I started off on a neutral ground and I was getting little money from my clients (victims), but after like three months into it, things became so tough that I couldn’t fend for myself again. I explained my situation to a friend and he took me to an Alfa (cleric),” Olajide recalls, shaking his head in disbelief.

This Alfa was known in Yahoo boys’ circles to be adept in the art of money magic – an occult economy that involves the performance of rituals to supernaturally conjure money.

Abode of fear

When Olajide described his financial difficulties to the Alfa, he was given two options.

“Alfa said he would help me out with small osole. I asked what he meant by that and he explained that osole (spiritual assistance) is different from oso (human body parts).

“Alfa told me oso required the use of human parts for material wealth with repercussions such as untimely death or insanity, whereas osole required the use of plants and animals for the same purpose but with lesser repercussions like being poor. I opted for osole,” he added.

Olajide was instructed to pay a sum of N12,000 into the cleric’s bank account for the materials and return in four days.

Five days later, when Olajide put a call through to the Alfa, he was asked to return for the materials.

He said, “When I got there, he gave me a small black soap and told me to find small palm oil and go to a flowing river to bathe that I had to cleanse myself first before I would use the materials.

“He explained to me that the soap was made with pepper mixed with some herbs and directed me to rub the palm oil on my body first before bathing with the soap. He warned that if I didn’t use the palm oil first, I was going to disappear and I would not be seen again. So, I did as I was told.”

Olajide said he complied with all the instructions.

“When I went back to him, he gave me three different materials: a soap to bath with every morning by 4am, a potion which I must swallow daily after taking my bath, and a powdery mixture to be licked every night before I go to bed.

“He said the herbal concoction was made from animals like crow, chameleon, cat, pigeon, and some leaves. He also told me that I would experience more hardship during the first two or three months of using the ritual materials, but I should endure it because after that, the tide will turn and money will be flowing in from my clients,” he added.

The idea of recipients conjuring money through magic is a familiar theme in many Nigerian films and religious houses.

Whether through animal sacrifices or trafficking in human parts, it is erroneously believed that these rites bring stupendous wealth to those who practice them.

When our correspondent inquired from Olajide if the magic worked, and in what specific ways the money came to him, he was silent.

When he spoke, he recalled faithfully following all the instructions given to him, but for the next two months, as the cleric predicted, he experienced serious financial hardship.

At this point, he said his friend introduced him to a client (victim), who had been defrauded several times.

Olajide then began to siphon money from the victim.

The inexplicable ease with which his ‘client’ gave him money implied that he (client) had been hypnotised.

“I ended up getting plenty money from this client. The cleric had assured me of having lots of money from osole, but he advised me to return to him for an upgrade of the ritual by paying N450,000, saying I would be making millions of naira after using the alleged ‘upgraded’ soap.

“But I didn’t go back because I asked my friend who took me there about what the new upgrade entails since that was what he did, and he warned me sternly against it because of the repercussions behind it.

“He said once I bathe with the ‘upgraded’ soap the cleric would prescribe, I could only wear the clothes and shoes I had and I must not change them for the next two years,” he added.

Four months after he dabbled in osole, Olajide realised that his fortunes began to dwindle as reality pulled the plug on his gravy train.

He said, “Things suddenly turned sour after four months. The client I was getting money from was arrested and ended up in jail and I no longer had any financial link. I ended up becoming more broke than before.

“My friend found me another client but I ended up wasting money rather than gaining some. Then, I was taken to another voodoo practitioner. This one said he would perform a ritual for me but one of its conditions was that I must never have sex with more than one girlfriend for the next three years and if I did otherwise, I would run mad.

“It was then I decided to withdraw from this stuff and went back into teaching for some time. Later on, I was introduced to the crypto business that I now do.”

The poverty factor

The belief in gaining wealth through mystical practices has gained much appeal over the decades in Nigeria with the exponential rise in poverty and lack of equal economic opportunities, especially for young people.

According to the 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index Survey released by the National Bureau of Statistics, 63 per cent of Nigerians, which account for 133 million citizens, are multi-dimensionally poor due to a lack of access to health, education, living standards, employment, and security.

The unemployment rate in Nigeria has not only increased constantly in the past years, the Nigerian Economic Summit Group has also projected that the country’s unemployment rate will hit 37 per cent in 2023.

However, investigations by Saturday PUNCH showed that many Nigerians fervently believe that they can make a lot of money regardless of the dire economic situations in the country through a supernatural supply of money.

Ritual killings

In Nigeria, there are various tales around wealth creation that foster the concept of one becoming rich through the manipulation of metaphysical forces in nature.

Among the Yoruba, South-West Nigeria, there is the aworo phenomenon that is believed to draw large patronage to a trader in a marketplace.

There is also awure (wealth booster) which can be prepared as a traditional soap or concoction.

Research shows that many Nigerians plank their belief in money rituals on mostly unverified reports.

This has drawn many into desperate measures, including taking the lives of close family members and friends.

In December 2021, a suspected Internet fraudster from Edo State, identified only as Osas, allegedly murdered his girlfriend, Elohor Oniorosa, for ritual purposes.

In November 2022, another Yahoo boy, alongside his herbalist, one Ike, aka Ogenesu, was arrested after policemen recovered suspected human parts at the herbalist’s place in Obiaruku, in the Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State.

But Ogun State appeared to have the highest number of reported incidents of such killings.

For instance, the state recorded at least 15 cases of ritual killings between January 2022 and 2023.

In January, the Ogun State Police Command arrested a 36-year-old herbalist, Taiwo Ajalorun, who reportedly confessed to the gruesome killing of a 26-year-old mother of two and two others in the Ijebu Ode area of the state.

On December 28, 2022, in the Ijebu-Ode area of the state, a gang reportedly killed three women, including a girlfriend of one of them, after sleeping with her.

In February 2022, two suspected criminals who were alleged to be ritualists were set ablaze by an angry mob for being in possession of human parts in Oja-Odan in the Yewa-North Local Government Area of the state.

Also, in October 2022, two suspected Internet fraudsters allegedly killed a 40-year-old man, Abdullahi Azeez, in Owode-Egba.

But probably the most pathetic was that of some teenagers who were caught burning the head of a female, Sofia, whom they killed for money ritual in the Oke Aregba area of Abeokuta.

One of the teenagers, Soliu Majekodunmi, who was Sofia’s boyfriend, said in January 2022 that he learnt the practice through Facebook.

Majekodunmi said he typed, ‘How to make money ritual’ on Facebook and got the details, adding that the link instructed him to behead and burn a female skull in a local pot.

Shaman or sham man?

Our correspondent found many Facebook accounts and groups created for seekers of money rituals.

Most of the social media pages had photographs of new naira notes placed in African traditional pots, calabashes, and cowrie-strewn bags, and some showed animal blood splattered on the ground around them.

Posing as a school teacher, our correspondent reached out to one of the acclaimed shamans, Babatunde (surname withheld), who resided in Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State.

In his response, he introduced his shrine as the ‘Arab Money Family’ and sent his phone number to our correspondent.

In a rather confident tone, Babatunde said, “If you are ready, even if it is this night, you will pay me and I will get the materials ready to start the ritual work for you. Most of my ritual work is done overnight and by tomorrow, it will be completed and your money will come out.

“You will send me your bank account, photograph, and full name, and you will be receiving money in your account. You will be receiving cash thrice every two weeks.”

When our correspondent inquired whether it is spirits that would be sending the money, he interjected in a mildly exasperated tone, “Listen, I will prepare the money here in my shrine and the money will be entering your account.”

He sent his ritual material price list and asked our correspondent to select the amount of money he wishes to receive in his bank account.

The list says, “N15,500 for N200,000; N20,000 for N300,000; N30,500 for N500,000; N50,000 for N1million; N75,000 for N5million; N90,000 for N20million; and N120,000 for N50 million.”

When our correspondent selected “N20,000 for N300,000,” he reiterated that his brand of ‘money magic’ utilises native materials instead of human blood.

“I make money without human blood and I only make use of native materials. I only make use of materials called ‘Cash of Hope’ and the ‘Money Drawer Oil.’

“Mind you, my work does not require any side effects or human being blood for sacrifice or repercussions, okay? Never say never to the high spirit.

“You don’t need to travel down for the ritual; I will just send them to you and you will get your money, but you must come down to my shrine with a token of appreciation for my work, any amount your heart chooses,” Babatunde added.

When the reporter complained about being unable to afford the cost of the ritual material, the magician urged him to find the money by any means possible and contact him when ready.

Babatunde was also observed to regularly post videos on his Facebook and WhatsApp statuses featuring ‘clients’ who claim to have acquired money through his rituals but the veracity of their claims could not be confirmed.

The second acclaimed money magician, who resides in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, goes by the Facebook name, Iya Ifa Bomi.

In this case, our correspondent posed as a greenhorn ‘Yahoo boy’ and asked her for spiritual assistance in order to obtain money from his ‘clients.’

She said, “You mean you are talking to your clients and they are not giving you money? I can perform a ritual for you and it will involve the use of big Titus fish, pepper, and some fresh leaves, but it will cost you N25,000.

“When you have the money, you can come to Ogbomoso and pick up the materials. I will prepare them for you. I have done this for many Yahoo boys like you and they all come back to testify that their clients are cooperating although some of them are ingrates. We also have some of us who do this work who are scammers and have made people not trust our works.”

Another cleric contacted by our correspondent, Alfa Abdulmumeen Aremu, advertised himself as a practitioner of “money rituals for engineers, contractors, business owners and ‘Yahoo boys.’”

He first demanded a sum of N2,000 and told our correspondent to send his full name and his mother’s name for spiritual consultation before he could recommend osole to him.

In a voice note, he explained, “There are different types of osole and I perform them for people like you, so don’t worry, I am adept in this work. Send me those things first and I will do some consultations to know your destiny in five minutes and I will revert to you.”

Our correspondent sent him a pseudonym along with the name of his late grandmother.

After some minutes, Aremu sent a voice note saying, “I can see you have a very bright destiny but you have some enemies. They are divided into two: some from your family and others from your workplace.

“You will cook ritual meals like rice and semo with tasty stew and give them to the children in your community. They will eat it with relish, and some of them will go to sleep. After you do that, you will be spiritually clean and we can proceed to the next stage.”

Divergent beliefs

A student of Business Administration, Kazeem Akinpelu, says money rituals are real.

“If they have not been working, people will no longer be practicing them. I grew up in Ibadan, Oyo State, and I know of a market where they sell human parts at night.

“The people selling in this particular market practice voodoo and they are patronised by those who perform money rituals. There was also one time the body parts of a lynched motorcyclist here in Ibadan were used by ritualists,” he added.

However, a civil servant, Nnamdi Okeke, dismissed money rituals as a fantasy that existed only in the realm of make-believe.

“Well, I have not come across any money rituals and I haven’t thought of doing such either. I don’t believe there is anything like ‘blood money.’

“Someone can watch a film and tell you the story, but no cult will tell you what to bring if you have not passed through their ranks, and that is if such things exist, because I don’t believe in them. The question is, the person who wants to make you rich, why is he poor and even why are their children not rich?” he asked.

Similarly, a medical scientist, Mike Okechukwu, said the whole concept of ritual killing boiled down to superstition.

“People would believe what they want to believe to obtain money. Desperate people will employ desperate measures. For me though, I don’t think ritual killings are effective; I have not seen any proof to make me believe so. It all boils down to superstition,” he stated.

But a sales representative, who gave her name as Judith for security reasons, said she once dated a man whom she believed was involved in such rituals.

She said, “I was dating this Yahoo-Yahoo guy and one day, I visited him unannounced and found that he didn’t want me to go inside his room. He was just acting weird that day.

“But while I stood at the door, he didn’t know I saw a native pot placed on the floor. From that day on, I began to suspect him and that was what made me leave him eventually because I don’t want anybody to use me for money rituals.”

Money ritual mirage

Commenting on popular beliefs about money rituals, a Professor of Philosophy of Religion at the Lagos State University, Danoye Oguntola-Laguda, said herbalists appeal to Internet scammers for pecuniary gain.

He said, “My experience is that there is nothing called money rituals. What many people mistake for money rituals is the prayer for getting rich. That could definitely involve some sacrifices of animals or birds or cooking for the whole community (saara) which brings the blessing of feeding multitudes and people may not be able to determine how you become rich.

“I don’t want to say that those who believe in osole or perform oso are wrong because there are a lot of myths that point in that direction, but if you ask many of them to tell you or show you the real thing, you will see that they have nothing to show.

“I want to say that most of these traditionalists do not even know that those who consult them are ‘Yahoo boys.’ They just see them as people seeking a way to be rich and they do a ritual, pray for them and tell them to go and kill one goat. The babalawos are also human beings who have families to feed so when they see a victim with such a proposal, they grab it with both hands.”

Oguntola-Laguda also explained the difference between religious practice and occultism.

“Religion is experiential; it is about your experience. If I tell you that prayer doesn’t work, it’s because I tried it and it didn’t work and if I tell you that it works, it’s because I tried it and it worked for me.

“There is a need to separate occultism from religious practices. Occultism is the appropriation of spiritual agents, who in most cases are negative, and it’s not limited to African traditional religion; it is something that cuts across the board.

“Many religious people appropriate these negative spiritual agents for these money rituals and power to be able to do things that are extraordinary, like the power to be able to tell the sun to go down or to tell the rain to stop.

“So, it is occult people that will tell you that they will make you rich and invite a spiritual agent to do that for you but they always come with a price and that is what many people have come to call oso or osole.

“In the past, in Yoruba traditional society, the wizard who is called oso doesn’t mean he is rich but has power appropriated through spiritual agents that he deploys for good or evil of society,” he added.

Nollywood magical realism

The scenarios of materially wealthy people enmeshed in sinister rituals and pacts with spirits, is a recurring theme in Nollywood plots.

Findings by Saturday PUNCH revealed that whether in the predominantly Muslim North or the largely Christian South, many religious Nigerians believe in the reality of an unseen world, and the fictive representations from Nollywood plots have heavily shaped their perceptions of reality.

A Nollywood screenwriter, Mr Abiola Omolokun, argued that the depictions of money rituals in films are a true representation of Yoruba culture.

He said, “First, I don’t write such stories, but they are true representations of reality. Money rituals are real and are reflected in our cultural beliefs; they are not fiction.

“We tell a story just to teach morals and make people see things differently. Our stories make them know that for every action, there are consequences.

“Through our movies, we teach that patience is a virtue that youths need to walk on the right path, and in due time, with hard work and perseverance, everything will lead to success.”

However, a researcher in African Studies, Akin Faleye, contended that such stories lack historical precedent and are fraudulent.

“As a student of global history, I will say that there is no evidence that the Yoruba practised money rituals in the pre-colonial time. All these stories of money rituals are fraudulent and emanated from psychopaths rather than people with some actual spiritual knowledge of how to make money,” he stated.

Money rituals in other cultures

In some other cultures, what could be termed as money rituals are often symbolic acts or dramas that appeal to psychological and cosmic powers through an application of symbolic structures.

In Ireland, there is a tradition of taking a piece of straw from the nativity scene/crib in the church at Christmas and keeping it in your purse or wallet, which is believed to bring financial prosperity throughout the year.

An Indian author, Suresh Padmanabhan, in his work, I Love Money, devoted a chapter to ‘Money rituals’ and wrote, “Take a currency note in your hand and wish it ‘Good morning.’ “Express gratitude to your wallet, accounts book, cash box, bank passbook, or any other tools connected directly to money. Smile at yourself in the mirror and pat yourself when you perform a task well.”

Some practitioners in western traditions also perform what they define as money spells/rites, which involve the invocation of spirits and archangels, drawing ritual circles, erecting a temple and an altar, and presenting offerings to ancient deities.

However, these rituals are often believed and practiced by religious groups on the fringes and are based on cultural paradigms that only allow clearly defined routes of financial access through hard work, lucrative business, and clever exploitation of market gaps.

Lamenting the lack of profitable skills available to Nigerian youths, a United Kingdom-based personal development coach, Mr Toyyib Adelodun, highlighted the need for popular magical ideas about money to be refuted.

“Nigerian youths need to understand that money is a unit of account to measure, therefore the more value you produce for the community, the richer you are supposed to be. So, the first thing a young person should seek is education and skills to earn money.

“Money is always circulating in an economy. It is the Central Bank of Nigeria that prints money, it doesn’t come from anywhere else. We saw a practical example of this recently when the CBN embarked on the naira redesign and there wasn’t enough money in circulation. So, there is no magic that is going to bring money from anywhere unless you offer your skills as a person of value.

“I have been to several countries in the world and I can see that money only comes from value creation. Unfortunately, Nigerian youths are not equipped with the relevant skills; we just go to religious houses to pray and sit back at home and don’t market skills or deliver an excellent service in order to generate wealth. We don’t have to resort to crimes,” he said.

Clerics urge re-orientation

A Senior Pastor at Christ Life Church, Ibadan, Prof. Wale Coker, told Saturday PUNCH the youth need a re-orientation that would see them embrace a new value system other than the present mad rush to become wealthy overnight.

“The scriptures state that ‘wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished, but he that gathers by labour shall increase’. Youths should be encouraged to walk in the fear of God which is the beginning of wisdom,” he added.

The National Missioner of the Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Shiekh, Abdur-Rahman Ahmad, stated, “All those who claim to be Muslims and Alfas that are involved in money rituals know within their hearts that they are doing something wrong and deceiving people.

“The reality is that there is no money ritual. It is not only against the letter and spirit of the laws of Islam but also against human conscience. Islam recognises only three sources of legitimate wealth: direct labour or hard work, inheritance, and a legitimate gift and this doesn’t mean a Greek gift or bribe or something induced.”

On her part, a traditionalist, Omitonade Ifawemimo, said, “There is no shortcut in Isese (traditional spirituality). If you don’t work, you won’t be wealthy. Nollywood and the fantasy it creates bears responsibility for the concept of money rituals.

“Human sacrifice for money rituals does not exist in Isese. It is fake, madness, and a scam! It’s tragic that Yoruba movies have messed up people’s thinking into believing all these lies.”

Source: Money ritual seekers’ dark walk into deceit, misery

Abuja, Nigeria: Missing 4 year old found dead with missing body parts

Posted on March 13, 2023 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

Warning: the following article contains graphic details and may shock readers
(webmaster FVDK)

Missing 4 Year Old Found Dead With Missing Body Parts

Published: March 9, 2023
By: UniqueGracee – Opera News, Nigeria

The dead body of a 4 year old boy identified as Eleazar Ishiya, was found in a Manhole in Jabi area, Abuja. It was reported that he was declared missing three days ago at Filing Ball, Jabi Daki Biyu.

According to an eye witness identified as Joel Joseph, Eleazar’s grandmother attempted to jump into the hole when she found out her grandson’s body was inside. Luckily she was held and pushed out of the hole, it was Joseph that jumped into the hole and brought out the boys corpse.

When the little boy was brought out of the hole, his body was already rotten. It was also discovered that he was missing some vital organs, his genitals and tongue were cut off while his eyes were plugged out.

From the state of the young boy’s body, it was evident that it was a ritual killing and the killers had dumped his body in the pit after killing him at night.

Mrs Precious Ishaya who is the boy’s Mother described the little boy as being smart, he was also the only child of his parents. She explained that the day he went missing, he was about to bath but instead he decided to go out to by sweets from their neighbors shop and he went missing.

The Mother explained that it was not the death of her son that hurt her the most, but it was the horrible way he died that hurt her the most. She said that she doesn’t know who did such a thing to her child but she rests the case to God.

She also said she did not have the courage to look at the body of her son when he was found dead, it was later that she managed to look at his dead body in pictures.

Source: Daily Trust

Content created and supplied by: UniqueGracee (via Opera News )

Source: Missing 4 Year Old Found Dead With Missing Body Parts

Witchcraft Persecution and Advocacy without Borders in Africa

Posted on March 7, 2023 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

Leo Igwe does not need any introduction. Multiple times I have posted articles on this indefatigable human rights champion. See e.g. my October 25, 2021 posting.

The belief in witchcraft and the weak rule of law in many African countries contribute to mob justice (or ‘jungle justice’ as this popular act is also called) and lynchings of perceived witches. In Kenya e.g., as in many other African countries, mob justice is criminal. Nevertheless, up to five incidents are reported (!) weekly in this East African country. The reader may guess what happens in other African countries… (FVDK).

Witchcraft Persecution and Advocacy without Borders in Africa

Published: March 3, 2023
By: This Day – Nigeria

The Advocacy for Alleged Witches urges Africans to campaign against abuses linked to witchcraft beliefs everywhere. This call follows the rescue of Nigerian nationals, who were accused of witchcraft in Kenya. As reported, the police rescued these Nigerians in Thika Town in Kiambu County. It was stated that an angry mob beat and almost lynched them while they were performing some rituals. These Nigerians claimed that they were conducting some prayers. It was not stated the kind of prayers that they were conducting. The police intervened, resisted the mob, and took these nationals, who sustained some injuries, to a nearby hospital.

The Advocacy for Alleged Witches commends the Kenya police for intervening and rescuing these foreign nationals. As in many parts of Africa, witchcraft accusation is a killer phenomenon, and a death sentence. These foreign nationals were fortunate. Police rescued them. In many instances, the police arrive late, after the damage has been done.

Recently, Kenya recorded incidents of witch persecution and killing. Last week, two elderly women, accused of witchcraft, were lynched in Murang’a County. There is still no information regarding the arrest and prosecution of suspected perpetrators of this heinous crime. In other African countries, such as Ghana, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, accusations of witchcraft and witch persecution take place. Alleged witches have been attacked, killed, or banished. However, in most cases, locals are the target.

People often accuse members of their neighbors, members of their family or community. This incident draws attention to the fact that foreigners are also at risk of being accused. Africans should look beyond their borders in advocating against witchcraft-linked violations. People often demonize strange and unfamiliar prayer and ritual forms. They regard them as evil, as invocations of occult harm. African Christians and Muslims have been indoctrinated to demonize, occultize and witchcraftize religious others, especially traditional religions or any ritual forms that deviate from religion, as they know it.

As this incident has illustrated, those who conduct prayers and rituals that depart from local norms are at risk of being accused of witchcraft and evil magic. Witchcraft accusation is a threat to the lives of Africans everywhere. Africans should not look the other way as alleged witches are attacked and killed in other countries. They should know that everyone is at risk of being accused or killed for witchcraft, whether you are a local or a foreigner. Africans should strive to advocate against witchcraft accusations and witch persecution without borders.

Leo Igwe directs the Advocacy for Alleged Witches

Source: Witchcraft Persecution and Advocacy without Borders in Africa

Related: 9 foreigners escape death in Thika after prayers mistaken for witchcraft
Published: February 28, 2023
By: Nation – Kenya

Nigeria: The illusion of money-making rituals

Posted on February 21, 2023 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

“It is time we put an end to these barbaric practices.”

What can I add to this cry for the rule of law, to respect human life, and to act. Governments can no longer ignore these barbaric practices based on superstition, poverty and ignorance, and fed by greed. The numerous examples of ritual murders given in this Op-Ed are frightening: all over the country though I’ve pointed at the widespread occurrence of ritual murders in Nigeria in previous postings (webmaster FVDK).

The Illusion of money-making rituals in Nigeria – Editorial

Published: February 20, 2023
By: Editorial – This Day, Nigeria

Ritual killing remains largely a crime driven by ignorance and poverty

The recent arrest of two teenagers by operatives of the Edo State Security Vigilante Network has once again brought into sharp focus the bizarre practice of money rituals. The young men were apprehended following a tipoff by the female herbalist from whom they sought help in their desperate bid for wealth through diabolical means. But they are not alone. Just recently, some young men were reported to have stormed a health centre in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state capital, asking for day-old babies. The unanswered question remains: What do they want to do with day-old babies? We can hazard a guess. They must belong to the growing group of desperadoes murdering innocent people, particularly women, children and sometimes the physically challenged, for ritual purposes.

These murderers, sometimes called headhunters, can go to any extent in the search of body parts for money-making rituals. And they are all over the country. Not long ago, there was a shocking discovery of three human heads inside a hotel room in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State. The three heads said to have been kept inside polythene bags were reportedly discovered by police officers following a raid on the hotel. Eleven persons suspected to be kidnappers or ritualists were arrested but typically, nothing was ever heard again about the case. At about the same time, the police in Kagura in Rafi Local government area of Niger State arrested four people in connection with the alleged murder of a 13-year-old son of an Islamic scholar. They reportedly lured the young boy to a secluded area where they removed his intestines and other vital organs after he had been murdered.

So rampant is this crime that in cosmopolitan cities like Lagos, Ibadan, Benin City and Kano, cases of ritual murders have now become commonplace. Indeed, incidence of ritual killings is said to account for many missing people in the country. But illiteracy is also a great factor in this crime. Even though the belief lacks common sense, many people indulge in these bestial acts for the purpose of making “instant wealth”, what some have aptly dubbed “blood money”. Yet, it is difficult to prove that these sacrifices, done at the instruction of some crafty traditional medicine practitioners and witch doctors, can catapult people from penury into instant wealth. At least, for now, there is no single person that can be named to have become rich because of human sacrifices, except the characters in some Nollywood movies. So, to that extent, ritual killing remains largely a crime driven by ignorance and poverty.

Meanwhile, the old image of the country as a citadel of humanitarianism, peacefulness, fraternity, cultural and moral renaissance seems blurred. There is disorderliness and chaos everywhere. Amid the moral confusion, it is difficult for many young Nigerians to understand that work comes before wealth. The estrangement from pristine values now finds dramatic expression in crass materialism, inordinate ambition to get rich quick at all costs. But on the prevalence of money rituals, this is also a law-and-order failure. Indeed, the increasing cases of abduction and killing of many innocent men, women and children is a poignant reminder that the police and the other security agencies have not sent a forceful message on what awaits the perpetrators of such a most heinous crime. The largely indifferent treatment of those caught has encouraged the commitment of more crime.

This is an issue that the relevant authorities must deal with and very quickly. There is also an urgent need for enlightenment campaigns to put a lie to the erroneous belief that money can grow out of the body parts of murdered people. It is time we put an end to these barbaric practices.

Source: Illusion of money-making rituals

Nigeria: Anambra State Police Officers in alleged ritual killing, organ harvesting ring arrested

Posted on February 19, 2023 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

It’s shocking news. Police officers who are supposed to contribute to the rule of law and protect people may have been involved in criminal activities which demand human organs. Fortunately, they have been arrested and are in detention right now, awaiting the outcome of further investigations. If confirmed, they wil appear in court.

Ritual murders are crimes and ritual murderers are hence subject to prosecution. But not all ritualistic murders and ritual murderers are the same. What all ritual murderers may have in common is that they are driven by greed. In the case of the arrested police officers – if the allegations are true – they were driven by the greed for (more) money, and they were willing to kill innocent people and harvest their organs to sell them to superstitious people who believe that the use of these harvested organs will bring them luck, more wealth, power and/or prestige. This (partly) explains why ritual murders are referred to as ‘money rituals’ in Africa’s most populated country.
(webmaster FVDK)

Anambra Officers In Alleged Ritual Killing, Organ Harvesting Ring Now In Detention

Published: February 18, 2023
By: Naijapals Baja (Metro Life) – Gist Mania – Nigeria

SP Nwode Nkeiruka, and Inspector Harrison Akama who were named in an alleged Anambra ritual killing and organ trafficking mess are now in detention, Police confirms.

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba has now set up a special investigation panel under the IGP Monitoring and Mentoring Unit to open investigations into the weighty allegations brought upon the aforementioned officers.

In a statement released and signed by the Police Force Spokesperson, CSP Olumuyiwa Akinjobi, he noted that “in light of the serious allegations leveled against the officers – CSP Patrick Agbazue, officer-in-charge of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Anambra State Command; SP Nwode Nkeiruka, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Zone 13 Headquarters, Ukpo-Dunukofia, and Inspector Harrison Akama attached to the RRS, they reported at the Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Abuja today Friday 17th February, 2023, on the directives of the IGP for commencement of investigations to ascertain the veracity of the allegations for further necessary action, while the panel has been given a period of two weeks to come up with a report of investigations”.

The statement reads:
Quote“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, NEAPS, fdc, CFR, has set up a special investigation panel under the IGP Monitoring and Mentoring Unit to commence investigations into some weighty allegations of unprofessionalism, high-handedness, and extra-judicial killings leveled against its officers serving at the Zone 13 Command, Ukpo-Dunukofia, and the Anambra State Command on social media platforms.

In light of the serious allegations leveled against the officers – CSP Patrick Agbazue, officer-in-charge of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Anambra State Command; SP Nwode Nkeiruka, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Zone 13 Headquarters, Ukpo-Dunukofia, and Inspector Harrison Akama attached to the RRS, they reported at the Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Abuja today Friday 17th February, 2023, on the directives of the IGP for commencement of investigations to ascertain the veracity of the allegations for further necessary action, while the panel has been given a period of two weeks to come up with a report of investigations.

The Force enjoins any member of the public who has had experiences or information on acts of high-handedness, extortion, or extra-judicial killings by the officers in question, to forward same with detailed information via mobile number 08036242591, or by email via pressforabuja@police.gov.ng, igpmufhq@npf-c4i.com to enable the panel achieve a wholistic investigation.

The Inspector-General of Police has assured that the findings of the investigations will determine the next line of action, even as he promises that the Force will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that justice is done in the case and sanctions meted to any officers found guilty accordingly”.
Quote ended.

Source: Anambra Officers In Alleged Ritual Killing, Organ Harvesting Ring Now In Detention

“It’ll encourage ritual killing” – MURIC begs NBC, others to ban Portable’s new album (Nigeria)

Posted on January 26, 2023 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

In Nigeria a public discussion has started on banning a song allegedly inciting young people to commit ritual murders. If ever existed a reason to demonstrate the widespread occurrence of ritualistic murders in Africa’s most populated country then it’s no longer the case with the nation-wide debate on Yahoo Yahoo and ritual killings, locally called ‘money rituals’ – get-rich-quick’.

The despised song and related rage over the alleged incitement to commit murder once more demonstrates that the type of ritual murders which are being committed in Nigeria, presumably all over the country, is different form the ‘traditional’, may I call it the ‘classical’ human sacrifice which once was part of African culture, as it also was in Latin America (Incas, Mayas) and Asia (nowadays India, China) and Europe. Unfortunately, speaking of these ritualistic acts in the past tense is not correct as up till the present day ritual murders or Satanic murders are being reported from the regions mentioned including North America.

In ancient times human sacrifices were performed in various forms and for various reasons varying from sacrificing a member of one’s tribe for the benefit of the whole community, or for purposes of accompanying the soul of a departed chief or loved one to the ancestors (‘The Great Beyond’). The victim of the sacred ceremony was chosen by the priests or elders of the community and sometimes the parents of the victim would consider it a source of pride to contribute to the welfare of the community or the eternal rest of a chief by ‘sacrificing’ their son or daughter.

Nowadays, however, ritual murders are being committed for the well-being of an individual who desires to increase his wealth, power or reputation, and who believes in the supernatural power of specific body parts of the victim, whereas the victims are increasingly picked at random. This ‘criminalization’ of a hitherto cultural phenomenon is the main characteristic of most ritual murders being committed nowadays in African countries. What makes it sometimes even worse is that the perpetrators are protected by powerful people who at times are themselves involved in these barbaric acts. Th fact that in several countries ritual murders are on the increase during elections campaigns is a bitter illustration of this reality.
(Webmaster FVDK).

It’ll encourage ritual killing – MURIC begs NBC, others to ban Portable’s new album

Popular pop singer, Habeeb Okikiola aka Portable has released a new album under the title ‘Kuku Do Ritual’ in which part of the lyrics say, ‘Kuku do ritual. If you do ritual you go die. If you no do ritual you go die.
Kuku do ritual’.

Published: January 24, 2023
By: John Ogunsemore – The Herald, Nigeria

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has condemned sensational musician, Portable’s new album titled, ‘Kuku Do Ritual’, urging authorities to ban it.

According to the Islamic human rights organisation, the album is a brazen assault on Nigerian and African values and has the potential to encourage ritual killing and mislead Nigerian youth.

MURIC made this known in a Monday statement signed by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The organisation called on the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and the Performing Musicians’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN) to take necessary action with military dispatch to stop the circulation of the album.

The statement reads, “Popular pop singer, Habeeb Okikiola (Portable) has released a new album under the title ‘Kuku Do Ritual’ in which part of the lyrics say, ‘Kuku do ritual. If you do ritual you go die. If you no do ritual you go die. Kuku do ritual’.

“We find this song disgusting, detestable and egregious. It is a brazen assault on Nigerian and African values. Portable’s latest song has reduced human life to the level of ordinary ants that can be stamped out under human feet without qualms and without consequences. It is an open invitation to criminality. It makes mockery of law and order. It is an open disrespect for human life.

“This song has the capacity to influence our young ones in a negative manner. It is also capable of destroying the future of the youth. Something must be done urgently. Already, there are several reports of young ones engaging in the shameful act for the purpose of getting rich in their tender ages.

“Three teenagers were caught attempting to kill a 13-year-old girl for money ritual in Bayelsa State in January 2022.

“Four teenagers living in Abeokuta, Ogun State, killed the girlfriend of one of them for money ritual. In fact, there is a plethora of ritual killings among young Yahoo practitioners in the country.

“MURIC calls on all men of goodwill, all mothers in Nigeria, Muslim and Christian leaders to rise against the madness called Yahoo Yahoo and ritual killings among young ones whose ambassador has just released this horrendous song in their praise. ‘Kuku Do Ritual’ is nothing but a eulogy to glorify and elevate the names of ritual killers to high heaven.

“This album calls for immediate action from Nigeria’s traditional rulers. They are the custodians of our tradition. We therefore take our cry for help to these royal fathers to speak up on this sacrilegious song released by ‘Portable’. They must put pressure on the authorities to stop the circulation and broadcast of this album on any radio or television station and through any medium whatsoever.

“We invite the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and the Performing Musicians’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN) to take necessary action with military dispatch.

“We see no reason why the security agencies should not investigate the author of this most embarrassing and irrational song to explain the number of rituals in which he has indulged. A scape goat must be made of this album and its artist before the trend escalates.

“Nobody should hide behind artistic priviledge, poetic licence or freedom of expression to launch such barbaric offensive on our culture, our norms and our values. This is beyond free speech. It is criminal speech. It is incitement to commit murder. It is instigation to criminality. It is a bestial invasion on decency and good manners. It is Bohemian.”

Source: It’ll encourage ritual killing – MURIC begs NBC, others to ban Portable’s new album

Trouble looms for Portable over song titled ‘kuku do ritual’
Published: January 24, 2023
By: Michael Adesina – PM News, Nigeria

Extracts:

“Three teenagers were caught attempting to kill a 13-year-old girl for money ritual in Bayelsa State in January 2022.

“Four teenagers living in Abeokuta, Ogun State, killed the girlfriend of one of them for money ritual.

In fact there is a plethora of ritual killings among young Yahoo practioners in the country.

‘It encourages killing for money’ — MURIC asks NBC to ban Portable’s ‘Kuku Do Ritual’
Published: January 23, 2023
By: James Ojo – The Cable Lifestyle, Nigeria

MURIC hits, reports Portable over ‘kuku do ritual’ song
Published:
By: Ekaete Bassey – The Nation, Nigeria

MURIC Calls For Ban Of Portable’s Song, “Kuku Do Ritual”
According to the Islamic human rights organisation, the song is deceptive and can inspire young people in Nigeria to go into ritual killings.

Published: January 25, 2023 (updates)
By: Per Second News, Nigeria

Nigeria: villagers protest ritual killings in Imo State

Posted on January 13, 2023 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

On Wednesday, January 11, the people of Arondizuogu in Imo State, In Nigeria’s delta region, took to the streets to protest over a number of unexplained killings in their communities. The killings were described as ‘strange happenings’ and linked to politics. One does not need much imagination to associate these killings with ritualistic murders.

Imo State is located in the country’s south-east, is the third smallest in area of Nigeria’s 36 states and has a population of about 6 – 7 million people. It is not the first time the people in Imo State are confronted with deadly ritualistic activities in their communities. In 2009, a large group of women from Ndiakunwata and Arondizuogu, Ideato North, a Local Government Area of Imo State, stormed the state capital Owerri to stage a peaceful protest over a wave of ritual killings in their area. See the second article presented below for more details.

The third article below describes another horrible ritual murder which occurred in 2009. The mentioning of Otokoto in the 2009 article refers to the 1996 Otokoto riots which happened in the aftermath of another ritual murder in Imo State in that year (of an 11-year-old schoolboy boy, Anthony Ikechukwu Okoronkwo, though the uprising was also caused by the rampant corruption in the state).
Readers are warned that the described murder cases contain graphic details.

Finally, for shortness sake I refer to my previous postings for more ritual murder cases in Imo State. To access these postings, click on ‘African countries’ in the dropdown menu and select: Nigeria (webmaster FVDK).

Villagers protest ritual killings, burning of vehicles in Imo State

Published: January 11, 2023
By: Chinonso Alozie – Vanguard, Nigeria

Elderly men, women and Youths of Arondizugo, Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo state, on Wednesday continued to protest over the alleged killings and burning of vehicles by suspected hoodlums in their communities.

The youths were seen on a video that went viral on social media, they marched around the Ideato North communities demanding no further delay for government to intervene in their situation.

At the time of filing this report, some of the villagers who could not give reasons for the attacks described some of the killings as “strange happenings” and linked to politics.

The latest was the alleged killing of a young man and a tricycle rider whose names were withheld. It happened Tuesday night at Ndiejezie Izuogu in Ideato’s local government area of Imo State.

They lamented the burning of about three vehicles one of the vehicle’s plate numbers was given as a YAB-225DY Range rover vehicle.

One of the villagers who preferred not to mention his name said: “My brother these killings have been happening for some time. We have cried for help nothing is happening. Even sometime last year, our royal fathers from Arondizugo came out and protested. I saw you were among the journalists that they addressed and pleaded for government intervention because this is too much.

“We want the government to come and save us. We don’t need much delay again. We are in pain now. We want an end to these killings and burning of vehicles.

“Many of roads are not safe now. this is bad we want help. let us end this killings. We are tired. Why the killings? why these troubles. We want government to end it.”

However, at the time of filing this report, the elders in the various villages were still having strategic meetings to see how to end the reported killings and burning of vehicles.

When the Imo state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Micheal Abattam, was contacted he was yet to respond.

Source: Villagers protest killings, burning of vehicles in Imo

Also:

Women protest ritual killings in Imo State

Published: November 12, 2009
By: Chidi Nkwopara – Vanguard, Nigeria

OWERRI – Scores of women from Ndiakunwata, Arondizuogu, Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State, stormed Owerri to stage a peaceful protest over recent ritual killings in their area.

Vanguard gathered that unidentified ritualists killed an octogenarian, Mrs. Beatrice Asoanya, and her granddaughter, Miss Chinaza Okereke, while they were sleeping in their home.

The women displayed placards with varying inscriptions, which included “Our lives are in serious danger”, “We are no longer safe in our community”, “We need government’s intervention” and “Ohakim save us”.

Speaking to newsmen amidst sobs, Lady Patricia Okereke, the mother of the slain Chinaza, said the suspected ritualists cut off the breast of her mother, Mrs. Asoanya, and drained her blood.

Lady Okereke said the women were angered that the suspected killer of the two citizens have been released, adding that the released suspects had since been moved to Abuja by his masters.

Okereke wondered why her daughter and mother would be murdered in such a gruesome manner, while the alleged culprits were left off the hook because of alleged influence of those backing him.

I demand that the perpetrators be brought to face the full weight of the law with a view to serving as a deterrence to others, she pleaded.

Source: Women protest ritual killings in Imo

Also:

Otokoto again in Imo! Girl, 18, beheaded for rituals

Published: November 5, 2009 (headlines: August 19, 2009)
By: Chidi Nkwopara – Nairaland, Nigeria

Residents of Owerri were Wednesday morning treated to a morbid spectacle as the police command paraded four suspects and the decomposing head of an 18-year old Chinwe Doris Perpetua Obieri, who was murdered for ritual purposes.

The bizarre scene, which was a replica of the infamous Otokoto saga of September 1996, had the prime suspect, 24-year old Emeka Uwakwe, from Ndiakunwata, Arondizuogu, Ideato North local government area of the state, clutching the decapitated head of his girl friend, Chinwe.

Speaking to newsmen, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Aloy Okorie, gave the names of the other suspects as Chigamezu Anyaoha from Orodo, Mbaitoli local council area, Anthony Obioha from Lude, Ahiazu Mbaise local government area, and the medicine man, Damian Joseph from Obot Akara, Akwa Ibom State.

Mr. Okorie gave a graphic account of how the sordid crime was committed and the efforts made by the state police command to apprehend the suspects in far away Lagos State.

“You can see we have a case of murder for ritual murder. What happened was that on Sunday, July 26, 2009, the young lady whose head you are seeing (pointing at the decapitated head of Chinwe) left her Akokwa home, Ideato North local government area of Imo State. You can see the head without the body.

Late Chinwe before her death
“The young man, Emeka Uwakwe, is the boy friend of this girl and he came all the way from Lagos and lured her to his house in the village. He murdered the girl, cut off her head for ritual purpose and dumped the headless body in a bush. Apparently, the girl had told her parents that she was going to visit her maternal uncle in another village.

“As at 7.04pm on that same Sunday, she called her parents and informed them she was already in her maternal uncle’s compound and they believed her. Later, her parents made a call to her and the call was not pulling through up till the next morning and by Monday when it was obvious that she was not coming back, they made a report to the police that their daughter was missing.

“The names of the parents are Mr. Nicholas and Mrs. Theresa Obieri from Umuezeala, Umueziama Kindred in Akokwa. It was after they made the report to the police that some vigilante people on the same date, came around and said they saw a headless body in the bush. The police invited the girl’s parents and they identified the headless body to be that of their daughter.

“It was at that point that the police swung into action and started making investigations. From information, we got to know that she had a boy friend who is resident in Lagos and who was seen around home within that period. So, we went to Lagos and we were able to arrest Emeka Uwakwe. You can see him now with the head of the slain girl (pointing at Emeka).

“When we now got him, he made a confession that Mr. Damian Joseph of Obot Akara in Akwa Ibom State, though he is based in Lagos also, was the one who made the charm with which, if he got the head of this girl, mix it with the charm and bury it, money will start flowing, he will start plucking money as if he was plucking fruits from the tree. That was exactly what the man did. He (Emeka) got the concoction, mixed it with the head and buried it in his room.

“We also went for the Native Doctor and got him. Meanwhile, Emeka made a confession too that it was his friends, Chigaemezu Anyaoha and Anthony Obioha, that introduced him to the Native Doctor and that he was capable of making medicine for money. They also confirmed that they had done such a medicine before with human scrotum. We do not know whether it their own scrotum or other people’s scrotum. We will surely find out in due.

“You can see the pretty 18-year old girl (displaying her photograph). I am sure if you had seen this girl when she was alive, you will weep. You will certainly weep because I have never seen a thing like that in my life. I just imagine my own daughter of that age being slaughtered for ritual purposes.

“Well, in an era where we talking about people going to live in the moon, that is the age we are in, 21st century, and people are still being fooled that they can use human head to make money. It is very unfortunate.

“Emeka Uwakwe was arrested on Wednesday last week (August 12, 2009) and when he gave us the information on how he got about the whole show, our men left for Lagos on Sunday and we were able to arrest both the Native Doctor and the other two boys. The next line of action is that they will pay the price prescribed by the laws of the land. We all know the price for somebody who has committed murder. He will pay with his own life. There is no duplicate for life. If he had the courage to kill somebody, he should also be prepared to face the consequence. He should be in a position to say if he killed her with a knife or first strangulated her before he cut off the neck.

“It is very clear that the girl deceived her parents. My advice is simple. I have a daughter of that age. I know how we monitor her. Most times, especially in this era, if she has to go out, we must let go with somebody because you never can tell. That age is a critical period in the training of children. Parents should monitor their daughters closely. It is easy to make contacts in this GSM era. I am sure that if the parents had raised alarm that very night they did not see her, may be things would have come out differently.

Source: Otokoto Again In Imo! Girl, 18, Beheaded For Rituals

Nigeria: on the rising incidents of ritual killings

Posted on January 12, 2023 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

I’ve repeatedly drawn attention to the many ritual murders, or killings for ritual purposes, in Nigeria, Africa’s most populated country with a population exceeding 200 million souls. These ritualistic crimes are locally known as ‘money rituals‘. (Warning: the preceding link leads to a video with graphic details of ritual killings).

The following post is about the published worries of an individual, Safiyanu Ladan. He was so emotional about the spate of ritual murders in his country that when the new year 2023 was approaching he decided to write an open article which was first published by a leading Nigerian newspaper, the Daily Trust.

Safiyanu Ladan writes from Zaria, Kaduna State, and openly associates ritualistic murders to prominent businessmen and politicians. In the article he dwells on a ritual murder committed by a prominent businessman in Gusau, the capital of Zamfara State, in the north of the country.

It’s a well-known fact that in Nigeria and other countries ritual murders and elections are linked, with the number of alleged and confirmed cases of ritual murder increasing during election campaigns. Nigeria faces national elections in February this year (next month) when the people of Nigeria go to the polls to elect a new president and National Assembly.
(webmaster FVDK).

On The Rising Incidents Of Ritual Killings

Published: January 3, 2023
By: Safiyanu Ladan – Daily Trust, Nigeria

I feel compelled to register my concern on the rising spate of killings across the country supposedly by ritualists as the 2023 elections draw closer. Some politicians who are desperate to win the election have always resorted to these uncanny acts in a bid to attain power at all costs. Unfortunately, the perpetrators of these […]

The post On the rising incidents of ritual killings
appeared first on Daily Trust

Unfortunately, the perpetrators of these devilish acts have always gone free. It’s only on rare occasions that some arrests are made and after the suspects are ceremoniously paraded by the police one will never hear about the case again.

In January last year, Aminu Baba, a prominent businessman selling vehicles at Aminchi Motors, Gusau Zamfara State, after his arrest by the police, confessed to have eaten and sold human parts to some unknown persons.

In a video footage, the visibly unapologetic Aminu’s accomplice who was arrested alongside him had admitted the gruesome killing of a 9-year-old boy whose body parts were removed and sold to Aminu for N500,000.

It has been one year since such an unfortunate incident occurred, and the suspects and the police have promised to take them to court at the end of their investigation. The outcome of the court’s judgment on this heinous act is not yet available in the public domain.

Incidents such as this are being reported by the media and after initial reactions, the matter will just die off.

The unrelenting act of ritualists inflicting harm on unsuspecting members of society is of great concern, hence the need for security agencies to double their efforts in order to restore people’s confidence.

It is pertinent to note that the life of a human being is sacred, and as such, nobody should feel threatened that their life might be taken away in whatever form except according to laid down processes.

Safiyanu Ladan wrote from Zaria via uncledoctor24@gmail.com

The post On the rising incidents of ritual killings appeared first on Daily Trust

Source: On The Rising Incidents Of Ritual Killings

Bauchi State, Nigeria: police arrest 3 in connection with removing boy’s eyes for suspected ritual

Posted on December 22, 2022 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

Warning: The following may upset the reader because of its graphic contents.

Yesterday I posted an article on the cruel attack on a 3 year old baby boy who became blind for the rest of his life as a result of the unscrupulous act of his cousin who gouged out his eyes for ritualistic purposes. The gory and cruel crime happened in East Africa, in Kenya.

The case presented below happened in Nigeria, West Africa, in June of this year. A similar horror story as what happened in Kenya. The reader is warned that the article contains a graphic description of the crime. It’s good that police has arrested three suspects. Nevertheless, the question remains: what makes people do such cruel acts? Are these people insane or just unscrupulous in their unstoppable desire for wealth and/or power based on superstition and fed by witchdoctors?
(webmaster FVDK)

Nigeria, Bauchi State:
Police arrest 3 in connection with removing boy’s eyes for suspected ritual

Published: June 27, 2022
By: Paul Orude, The Sun, Nigeria

Three suspects have been arrested by the Bauchi State Command for allegedly gouging out the eyes of a boy.

The Commissioner of Police Umar Sanda, disclosed this while parading the suspects at the command’s headquarters in Bauchi.

Sanda reassured of the public of the Command’s commitment to bursting ritualists and other criminal activities and urged residents to be supportive.

He explained that the command has made adequate use of intelligence gathering to arrest the three suspects in connection with plucking out of the eye of the boy.

He said the arrest was in response to the case of a suspected ritualist who plucked the eye of the minor.

The terrifying incident occurred in the Jira Mountain Yelwa area of Bauchi Metropolitan.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, the suspect Isaac Ezekiel ‘m’ 32yrs of Rafin Zurfi Yelwa Bauchi Metropolitan had been arrested, where he voluntarily confessed to the unfortunate crime.

A prompt search of his house by the Police led to the recovery of Uzairu Salisu’s eyeballs, Wakil disclosed in a statement.

Wakil said the exhibit recovered from the suspects included the two human eyeballs in a calabash,cable wire used in perpetrating the heinous act and a travelling bag containing some native medicine.

He said suspects arrested in connection to the crime are Isaac Ezekiel ‘M’ 32yr-old of Rafin Zurfi Yelwa Bauchi Metropolitan, Nensok Bawa ‘M’ 38yr-old of Kabwir District Kanke Local Government Area Plateau State and Yohana Luka (AKA Doctor Samu) 52yr-old of Golbong Village Amper District in Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau State.

“Findings reveal that in April 2022, Principal Suspect Isaac Ezekiel conspired with the two suspects above to conceive the idea to commit the atrocity of getting the eyeballs of a human being,” he said.

“On 24th June 2022 at about 0900hrs the principal suspect Isaac Ezekiel lured one Uzairu Salisu ‘M’ 16yr of Jahun Bauchi Metropolitan into a nearby Bush for a casual job on his farm, the Isaac Ezekiel used a cable wire to strangulate Uzairu Salisu into a coma and use a knife to remove the two eyes for a ritual purpose.

“Investigation is in progress, after which the suspects will be charged to court.

“The task has not been an easy one, but in line with our constitutional mandate, we shall remain fierce, tireless, and relentless in committing ourselves to the safety and security of lives and property of the people of Bauchi state and the country at large.”

Source: Bauchi: Police arrest 3 in connection with removing boy’s eyes for suspected ritual

Baby’s eyes gouged out for rituals – two persons arrested in Kenya

Posted on December 21, 2022 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

Warning: The following articles’ graphic contents may upset readers

Nothing less than a horror story. In Kisii, in south-western Kenya a three-year old baby was attacked, his eyes gouged out allegedly for ritualistic reasons. The baby was saved and at present is in a stable condition but unfortunately the small boy will never regain his eyesight.

The police has arrested a suspect. Also the baby’s mother has been arrested. They are suspected to have gouged out baby Sangini’s eyes for ritualistic purposes.

The gory attack has caused many reactions, people are angry and saddened that an innocent child was attacked and that he will be blind for the rest of his life.

The story is almost too horrific to believe and the reader is warned that the following articles on baby Sangini contain graphic details including a photo of the young victim.

It is mainly because a similar attack took place on the other side of the African continent that I decided to draw attention to the mutilation of the Kenyan baby Sangini. Earlier this year, in June, police in Bauchi State, Nigeria, arrested three individuals for allegedly gouging out the eyes of a boy, also for rituals. Tomorrow I will post more details about the latter case. (webmaster FVDK).

Man suspected to have gouged out Baby Sagini’s eyes arrested
The eyes were gouged out to be used as rituals

In Summary:

The suspect was Monday expected in court as investigators go on with their work. More suspects are being sought, police said Monday December 19.
Maina Ochoki (Baby Junior Sagini’s Cousin) is believed to be main the suspect in the case of Baby Sagini.

*Maina Ochoki first suspect in the Marani case arrested,set to appear in court*

Published: December 19, 2022
By: Cyrus Ombati, The Star – Kenya

Police on Sunday arrested the main suspect in a case where a three-year-old boy had his eyes gouged out in Kisii.

Maina Ochoki, baby Junior Sagini’s cousin, is believed to be the main suspect in the case of Baby Sagini.

Police investigators say Maina and his mother Pacifica gouged out Baby Sagini’s eyes to be used as a ritual.

The suspect was Monday expected in court as investigators go on with their work.

More suspects are being sought, police said on Monday, December 19.

By Sunday, Sagini was due for discharge following the doctor’s advice.

Kisii Eye Hospital director Dan Kiage said the boy was responding well to treatment and ready for discharge.

“It is unfortunate he will not see,” he said.

Sagini had been in the company of other children when he broke away, only to be found with his eyes gouged out and writhing in pain.

Source: Man suspected to have gouged out Baby Sagini’s eyes arrested

Also:

Attempted murder – Suspect in baby Sagini’s case detained for five days
The three-year-oild had his eyes gouged out for a suspected ritual

In Summary:

* Police successfully sought to have Ochogo detained for five days over investigations into the gouging out of baby Junior Sagini’s eyes.
* Prosecutor Hilary Kaino made the miscellaneous application to enable them arrest more suspects including Ochogo’s mother who is the main suspect.

**ATTEMPTED MURDER:** Alex Ochogo arrested for allegedly gouging the eyes of the three-year-old boy at Ikuruma village in Marani subcounty, Kisii on Monday, December 19.
*Image: CYRUS OMBATI*

Published: December 19, 2022
By: Magati Obebo, The Star – Kenya

A man arrested for allegedly gouging out the eyes of a three-year-old boy in Kisii will be detained for five days pending investigations.

Alex Ochogo, 26, appeared before senior resident magistrate Christine Ogweno at Kisii law court on Monday.

Police successfully sought to have him detained for five days over investigations into the gouging out of baby Junior Sagini’s eyes at Ikuruma village in Marani subcounty, Kisii.

Prosecutor Hilary Kaino made the miscellaneous application to enable them arrest more suspects including Ochogo’s mother who is the main suspect.

Kaino told the court that Ochogo was seen escorting his mother to a bus station, who then fled to Nairobi on the day baby Sagini was found in a maize plantation.

Police are investigating a case of attempted murder.

“The main suspect was the last person seen with this child in the evening, hours before he disappeared. The following morning this suspect left to Nairobi,” Kaino told the court.

The prosecutor told the court that holding the suspect in custody will guarantee his safety against harm by members of the public.

Advocates Daphine Biyaki and Nduhukire Anita who were watching the brief for baby Sagini, agreed with the prosecutor’s application to detain the suspect for five days.

Ogweno ruled that the suspect will be detained at Rioma police station for five days as the police conclude investigations.

“The suspect will be arraigned in the same court on December 23 to know his fate as the court gives directions,” the magistrate said.

Baby Sagini’s mother was also arrested on Sunday and booked at Nyanchwa police station under OB NO 13/18/12/2022.

She was locked at the court’s police cells and later driven away by DCI officers the moment Ochogo appeared in court.

Baby Sagini who is admitted at Kisii Eye hospital in an early interview said a man with a rope and a torch took him from their home compound where he was playing with other kids.

Sagini’s eye specialist Dr Dan Kiage said the boy is in a stable condition however, there is no way he will regain his eyesight.

Police said Ochogo and his mother Pacifica are suspected to have gouged out Sagini’s eyes to be used as ritual for Ochogo’s father.

It is alleged that the two conspired in December 2021 and killed Ochogo’s father.

Source: Suspect in baby Sagini’s case detained for five days

Also see:

Manhunt – Sonko issues Sh200,000 reward for suspects in Sagini case
Baby Sagini, 3, had his eyes gouged out during an attack by unknown thugs in Kisii

In Summary:

He offered a Sh400,000 reward to any officer who will fish out the suspect.
The former governor further promised an additional Sh200,000 for any person who volunteers information that may lead to arrest of the key suspects

**CASH REWARD:** Former Nairobi governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko.

Published: December 18, 2022
By: Magati Obebo, The Star – Kenya

Former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko has joined other leaders to condemn the assault on Junior Sagini from Ikuruma, Marani in Kisii.

Sagini, 3, had his eyes gouged out during a gory attack by unknown thugs on Thursday night.

Sonko described the incident as saddening.

He offered a Sh400,000 reward to any officer who will fish out the suspect.

The former governor further promised an additional Sh200,000 for any person who volunteers information that may lead to arrest of the key suspects.

The incident has evoked a string of reactions across the political divide.

Nominated Senator Essy Okenyuri visited Sagini at Kisii Eye Hospital on Saturday where he is receiving treatment.

She asked security agencies investigating the case to leave no stone unturned.

Okenyuri said no child deserves to go through torture, the kind Sagini suffered in the hands of his tormentors.

“Every child deserves to be treated with dignity notwithstanding the circumstances they are brought up. I am hoping nothing will stand in the way as justice is sought for him,” she said.

Political activist Steven Nyarangi said the incident was heart wrenching.

By Saturday evening, detectives in Kisii said they were quizzing the father-Thomas Ongaga- over the incident.

He had been living with the child after separating with the wife.

Police, however, said he was not in their custody yet as a suspect adding that they sought him for information as part of preliminary investigations.

Already Vigilance House has dispatched an additional team of detectives to help unravel the motive behind the bizarre attack.

In Kisii, friends have begun donating money for Sagini’s medical bill.

The hospital bills has shot to Sh100,000 with family members requesting help.

At the hospital, Sagini innocently played in his bed with bandages wrapped on the empty sockets oblivious that the verdict on his ability to see again had been decided by a tormentor.

He asked doctors when he is going to see.

Villagers and relatives at Ikuruma found him covered in blood and crying in pain after a night out in the cold.

The minor is said to had broken off from the other team of children sent out Wednesday to fetch water only to be discovered with eyes gouged out.

The attack on the boy horrified Kenyans, leading to a growing outcry and outrage over violence against children in the country.

Source: Sonko issues Sh200,000 reward for suspects in Sagini case

Also see:

Discharged – Kisii Governor Arati offsets baby Sagini’s hospital bill, condemns attack
The three-year old baby had his eyes gouged out during an attack by unknown thugs

In Summary:

Arati visited the baby at Kisii Eye Specialist Hospital on Sunday morning where he volunteered to offset the Sh100,000 medical bill.
Kisii Eye Hospital director Dan Kiage said the boy was responding well to treatment and ready for discharge.

**MEDICAL BILL:** Kisii Governor Simba Arati with Kisii Eye Hospital boss Dan Kiage after he visited baby Sagini whose eyes were gouged out by an attacker on Thursday night.
*Image: MAGATI OBEBO*

Published: December 18, 2022
By: Magati Obebo, The Star – Kenya

Kisii Governor Simba Arati has termed baby Junior Sagini’s attack as appalling and despicable.

The three-year-old had his eyes gouged out by unknown thugs in Ikuruma, Marani on Thursday night.

Arati visited the baby at Kisii Eye Specialist Hospital on Sunday morning where he volunteered to offset the Sh100,000 medical bill.

Sagini was due for discharge following the doctor’s advice.

Kisii Eye Hospital director Dan Kiage said the boy was responding well to treatment and ready for discharge.

“It is unfortunate he will not see,” he said.

Sagini had been in the company of other children when he broke away, only to be be found with his eyes gouged out and writhing in pain.

Arati said plans are afoot to have Sagini and his sister relocated to a safe house.

“It is unfortunate that such a small boy could be brutalised like this. It points to the growing mental problems society is grappling with, which should form part of the wider investigations,” Arati said.

During the visit, Arati asked security agencies and government administrators in the villages to monitor families that go through marital challenges and refer them for counseling, to avert such disasters.

He offered to set up a rehabilitation centre, to take care of such cases.

“We will do a supplementary budget to ensure this is realised,” the governor said.

Also see:

In Kisii – Detectives probe father of boy whose eyes were gouged out
Cops say they have not arrested him but are only questioning him

In Summary:

• County police boss Mutungi Musyoki, however, said they are only questioning the father as part of the preliminary investigations.

• He is currently recovering at Kisii Eye Hospital, where doctors said he will never see again following the attack.

Published: December 17, 2022
By: Magati Obebo, The Star – Kenya

Detectives in Kisii on Saturday opened a probe into the bizarre incident where a minor’s eyes were gouged out in a Thursday night attack in Marani.

They have questioned the father of the boy, Thomas Ongaga- who lives with the children alone after separating from their mother.

Police said they are piecing every detail together as they search for clues that may lead to the arrests of key suspects in the macabre attack on the three-year-old.

County police boss Mutungi Musyoki, however, said they are only questioning the father as part of the preliminary investigations.

“We are only questioning him, he has not been arrested,” Musyoki told journalists.

The motive of the beastly act remained unknown as a manhunt for the suspects continues.

The minor, Junior Sagini, was reported missing after visiting the maize farm with her seven-year-old sister.

There were other conflicting reports that they were in the company of other children and that they had been sent to fetch water when he broke away from the team only to be found later, soaked in blood with eyes gouged out.

He is currently recovering at Kisii Eye Hospital, where doctors said he will never see again following the attack.

Police said they are not leaving anything to chance as the manhunt is still on.

“We want to know what happened in between the visit to the farm, at what point did the two siblings separate, who kidnapped him and committed the heinous act on him,” Musyoki said.

Kisii Eye Hospital director Dan Kiage said that the boy was in bad shape when he was brought in.

“It appears the attacker used a sharp object like a knife to injure the eyelids. The problem is that he won’t see again,” he said.

Source: Detectives probe father of boy whose eyes were gouged out

Horror as boy, 3, kidnapped and eyes gouged out in Kisii
Minor was rushed to hospital after he was found with his case covered with blood

In Summary:

The minor was rushed to the Kisii Eye Hospital after he was found with his face covered with blood.
When the other children got home with their jerrycans full of water, they informed his grandmother what had happened.

Published: December 17, 2022
By: Cyrus Ombati, The Star – Kenya

A special police squad has been sent to a village in Kisii to investigate a bizarre incident where suspected thugs kidnapped a three-year-old baby and gouged out his eyes before dumping him at the family’s banana plantation.

The gang is said to have taken away the child from his family home in Marani on Wednesday, December 14 evening and held him for more than six hours, sending the family into panic as they searched for the minor’s whereabouts in vain.

The minor was rushed to the Kisii Eye Hospital after he was found with his face covered with blood.

Doctors have said he will remain blind for now and he is recuperating in the general ward after a surgical procedure.

“Both his eyes had been removed completely and there are some injuries in the lids…so it looks like there was a sharp instrument like a knife that was used,” Dr Daniel Kiage at the facility said.

Residents of Ikuruma village in Marani, Kisii county, are yet to tell the motive of the incident.

Police had initially arrested one of the boy’s relatives as a suspect in the investigations but later released him for lack of evidence connecting him to the crime.

A team of detectives has since been sent from Nairobi to boost local ones in the probe.

Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin said they want to know the motive and those behind the bizarre incident.

Swathes of bandages are covering the emptiness where his eyes once were.

His family is calling on the police to speed up investigations and bring to the perpetrators to book.

Doctors said the boy is scheduled for a second operation as soon as he is stable enough.

The boy’s grandmother Rael Mayieka told police it all started when her grandson, went to fetch water from a nearby spring.

He was in the company of other children but it is said that he threw his jerrycan into a nearby thicket and started running away.

When the other children got home with their jerrycans full of water, they informed his grandmother what had happened.

The granny went to the spring searching for her grandson, but he was nowhere to be seen.

It was until the following day that his elder brother who had gone to cut grass for the cows pounced on him in a maize plantation and alerted them.

Source: Horror as boy, 3, kidnapped and eyes gouged out in Kisii

And another report:

Cousin: This is why we gouged out 3-year-old baby Sangini’s eyes

Ritual Killing In Africa

Human Rights, Rule of Law, and Superstition in Africa

Category Archives: Nigeria

Nigeria: Money rituals explained – Money ritual seekers’ dark walk into deceit, misery

Abuja, Nigeria: Missing 4 year old found dead with missing body parts

Witchcraft Persecution and Advocacy without Borders in Africa

Nigeria: The illusion of money-making rituals

Nigeria: Anambra State Police Officers in alleged ritual killing, organ harvesting ring arrested

“It’ll encourage ritual killing” – MURIC begs NBC, others to ban Portable’s new album (Nigeria)

Nigeria: villagers protest ritual killings in Imo State

Nigeria: on the rising incidents of ritual killings

Bauchi State, Nigeria: police arrest 3 in connection with removing boy’s eyes for suspected ritual

Nigeria, Bauchi State:
Police arrest 3 in connection with removing boy’s eyes for suspected ritual

Baby’s eyes gouged out for rituals – two persons arrested in Kenya

Man suspected to have gouged out Baby Sagini’s eyes arrested
The eyes were gouged out to be used as rituals

Manhunt – Sonko issues Sh200,000 reward for suspects in Sagini case
Baby Sagini, 3, had his eyes gouged out during an attack by unknown thugs in Kisii

Discharged – Kisii Governor Arati offsets baby Sagini’s hospital bill, condemns attack
The three-year old baby had his eyes gouged out during an attack by unknown thugs

In Kisii – Detectives probe father of boy whose eyes were gouged out
Cops say they have not arrested him but are only questioning him

Horror as boy, 3, kidnapped and eyes gouged out in Kisii
Minor was rushed to hospital after he was found with his case covered with blood

Nigeria, Bauchi State: Police arrest 3 in connection with removing boy’s eyes for suspected ritual

Man suspected to have gouged out Baby Sagini’s eyes arrestedThe eyes were gouged out to be used as rituals

Manhunt – Sonko issues Sh200,000 reward for suspects in Sagini caseBaby Sagini, 3, had his eyes gouged out during an attack by unknown thugs in Kisii

Discharged – Kisii Governor Arati offsets baby Sagini’s hospital bill, condemns attackThe three-year old baby had his eyes gouged out during an attack by unknown thugs

In Kisii – Detectives probe father of boy whose eyes were gouged outCops say they have not arrested him but are only questioning him

Horror as boy, 3, kidnapped and eyes gouged out in KisiiMinor was rushed to hospital after he was found with his case covered with blood

Nigeria, Bauchi State:
Police arrest 3 in connection with removing boy’s eyes for suspected ritual

Man suspected to have gouged out Baby Sagini’s eyes arrested
The eyes were gouged out to be used as rituals

Manhunt – Sonko issues Sh200,000 reward for suspects in Sagini case
Baby Sagini, 3, had his eyes gouged out during an attack by unknown thugs in Kisii

Discharged – Kisii Governor Arati offsets baby Sagini’s hospital bill, condemns attack
The three-year old baby had his eyes gouged out during an attack by unknown thugs

In Kisii – Detectives probe father of boy whose eyes were gouged out
Cops say they have not arrested him but are only questioning him

Horror as boy, 3, kidnapped and eyes gouged out in Kisii
Minor was rushed to hospital after he was found with his case covered with blood