Nigeria: Ogun State Police link missing girls, ritual killings to hook-ups

Early December 2024 there was a tsunami of articles focusing on the nexus prostitution – missing girls – ritual killings. The facts are horrifying. Young women between the age of 20 and 32 are most likely to be the victim of ritualistic killers.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Command, Omolola Odutola, even mentioned a number of ten young women disappearing daily in the southwestern state, one of Nigeria’s 36 states. She blamed the ‘hookup culture’ of facilitating the disappearances and ‘money rituals’, as murders for ritualistic purposes are being labeled in Nigeria.
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Ogun State Police link missing girls, ritual killings to hook-ups

Published: December 4, 2024
By: Vanguard, Nigeria

The Nigeria Police Force has linked many cases of missing young women to ritual practices, with a growing connection to the rising hook-up culture in the country.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Command, Omolola Odutola, revealed this, yesterday, when she was featured on Channels Television’s Morning Brief.

During the discussion on “Hookup Culture: Impact on Youth Values and Relationships,” Odutola revealed that young women aged 20 to 32 were the most affected.

She added that many young people, especially males, believe that ritual killings was a way to become wealthy.

“This particular menace is very serious and I will like a lot of young people to understand the danger in the hookup culture. Today, we have lots of reports of missing persons. By the time we start an investigation, not less than 10 young girls and ladies go missing daily.

“In-depth investigations also reveal that those cases are not by accidents. Most of them are connected to hookup channels and apps. They fall victim to strangers who causally invite them to unknown places, and eventually fall victim to being used for ritual purposes.

“Most cases of missing girls and ritual killings occurring in Ogun State of recent, I will like to say that it is not new. But as much as possible, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police has been able to tame these ugly incidents.

“It stems from the ugly perspective of young persons who believe that ritual killing could enrich them. We have some of these unscrupulous elements who deceive young people to get human skulls or human body parts, which they use for some kind of concoction to get them rich.”

“That is why we are having advocacy and sensitization, to enlighten young persons to make them understand that engaging in ritual killings does not in any way make them rich,” she said.

She stated that the police command was collaborating closely with the state Women Affairs Commission to tackle and curb the menace.

She stated, “The Ogun State government, particularly the Women Affairs Commission works in tandem with the police command by providing counselling sessions.

“Apart from that, whenever we have cases such as this if per adventure the girls escape the rituals, we also have a proper way of helping them go through the distress of mental health and anxiety they might have felt during the incident.

“The hookup culture is prevalent among young girls between the ages of 20 to about 32 years. The reason they get involved in this menace is because they feel they don’t get enough from their parents, and then the get-rich syndrome.”

Hookup culture refers to casual sexual relationships, like one-night stands, that often don’t involve emotional attachment or long-term commitment. While this trend has existed since the 1920s, it has become more common and accepted in recent years.

Some argue that hookup culture is a step forward for women’s freedom and empowerment, but others believe it harms the development of healthy and meaningful relationships.

Source: Police link missing girls, ritual killings to hook-ups

Also:

Police Link Missing Girls Cases, Ritual Killings To Hookups

Published: December 4, 2024
By: Samuel – Tori, Nigeria

The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Command, Omolola Odutola, revealed this on Wednesday when she was featured on Channels Television’s Morning Brief.

The Nigerian Police Force has linked many cases of missing young women to ritual practices, with a growing connection to the rising hookup culture in the country.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Command, Omolola Odutola, revealed this on Wednesday when she was featured on Channels Television’s Morning Brief.

During the discussion on “Hookup Culture: Impact on Youth Values and Relationships,” Odutola revealed that young women aged 20 to 32 are the most affected.

She added that many young people, especially males, believe that ritual killings are a way to become wealthy.

“This particular menace is very serious and I would like a lot of young people to understand the danger in the hookup culture. Today, we have lots of reports of missing persons. By the time we start an investigation, not less than 10 young girls and ladies go missing daily.

“In-depth investigations also reveal that those cases are not by accidents. Most of them are connected to hookup channels and apps. They fall victim to strangers who causally invite them to unknown places, and eventually fall victim to being used for ritual purposes,” she said.

“Most cases of missing girls and ritual killings occurring in Ogun State of recent, I would like to say that it is not new. But as much as possible, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police has been able to tame these ugly incidents.”


The police boss added, “It stems from the ugly perspective of young persons who believe that ritual killing could enrich them. We have some of these unscrupulous elements who deceive young people to get human skulls or human body parts, which they use for some kind of concoction to get them rich.

“That is why we are having advocacy and sensitization, to enlighten young persons to make them understand that engaging in ritual killings does not in any way make them rich,” she said.

She stated that the police command is collaborating closely with the State Women Affairs Commission to tackle and curb the menace.

She stated, “The Ogun State government, particularly the Women Affairs Commission works in tandem with the police command by providing counselling sessions.

“Apart from that, whenever we have cases such as this if per adventure the girls escape the rituals, we also have a proper way of helping them go through the distress of mental health and anxiety they might have felt during the incident.

“The hookup culture is prevalent among young girls between the ages of 20 to about 32 years. The reason they get involved in this menace is because they feel they don’t get enough from their parents, and then the get-rich syndrome.”

Hookup culture refers to casual sexual relationships, like one-night stands, that often don’t involve emotional attachment or long-term commitment. While this trend has existed since the 1920s, it has become more common and accepted in recent years.

Some argue that hookup culture is a step forward for women’s freedom and empowerment, but others believe it harms the development of healthy and meaningful relationships.

This culture also reflects a double standard, with women often judged more harshly than men for engaging in casual encounters. For instance, women who hook up frequently or go too far in a single encounter may face derogatory labels like “hoe,” while men in similar situations are often praised.

Source: Police Link Missing Girls Cases, Ritual Killings To Hookups

And:

Ogun police blame ‘hookup’ for high rate of missing girls

Published: December 4, 2024
By: The Citizen, Nigeria

The Public Relations Officer for the Ogun State Police Command, Omolola Odutola, has blamed the high rate of missing girls and ritual killings involving females in the state on “hookups”.

The Ogun PPRO made this statement on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Wednesday, where she was invited as a special guest to speak on the topic ‘Hookup Culture: Impact on Youth Values and Relationships’.

Hookup is a slang used to describe brief, casual sexual relations between individuals. Odutola described the hookup culture as a menace prevalent among young girls and attributed this to the surge in cases of missing girls and female victims of ritual killings in the state.

“Today, we have lots of reports of missing persons. By the time we start an investigation, not less than 10 young girls and ladies go missing daily.

“In-depth investigations also reveal that those cases are not by accidents. Most of them are connected to hookup channels and apps. They fall victim to strangers who causally invite them to unknown places, and eventually fall victim to being used for ritual purposes,” said Odutola.

The PPRO noted that Ogun State has an ugly history with the cases of missing girls and ritual killings.

In October, the Ogun Police Command declared Testimony John, an 18-year-old girl, missing. The 18-year-old was sent on an errand to Saabo Market in Sagamu and did not return home.

A month before then, in September, the police launched a manhunt for the killers of Habibat Akinsanya, a 17-year-old secondary school student who was abducted and murdered in the state.

Source: Ogun police blame ‘hookup’ for high rate of missing girls

And:

Police Uncover 1 Reason for High Cases of Missing Girls, Ritual Killings In Nigeria, Details Emerge

Police link h0okup activities to missing girls and ritual activities Photo credit: @PoliceNG/Pius Utomi Ekpei Source: UGC

Published: December 5, 2024
By: Ezra Ukanwa – Legit, Nigeria

Police reveal the dark side of hookup culture Odutola emphasized that the hookup culture, characterized by casual sexual encounters without commitment, has fueled a surge in cases involving young girls who fall prey to ritual killings, Channels Television reported.

“Today, we have lots of reports of missing persons. By the time we start an investigation, not less than 10 young girls and ladies go missing daily. “Most of these cases are linked to hookup channels and apps,” she explained. The police noted that many young men are motivated by the belief that ritual killings can lead to wealth, The Punch reported. “Most cases of missing girls and ritual killings in Ogun State have their roots in this misguided idea. “We have some unscrupulous elements who deceive people into providing human body parts for rituals,” she stated.

To combat this, according to her, the Ogun State Police Command, in collaboration with the Women Affairs Commission, has been actively raising awareness and providing counselling to victims and their families.

UNIPORT student found dead in boyfriend’s apartment

In another development, Legit.ng reported that a 300-level Biological Chemistry student of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Otuene Justina Nkang, has been found dead in her boyfriend’s apartment in the River State capital. Nkang has been declared missing four days after leaving her place of work, where she was doing her industrial training at a private hospital in Port Harcourt.

Source: Police Uncover 1 Reason for High Cases of Missing Girls, Ritual Killings In Nigeria, Details Emerge

And another article:

Hookups to blame for most cases of missing girls, ritual killings in Nigeria – Police

Published: December 4, 2024
By: Nurudeen Shotayo – The Pulse, Nigeria

The hookup culture encourages casual sexual encounters in some cases between two strangers who could engage in one-night stands without necessarily involving any emotional bonding or long-term commitment.

The Nigeria Police have attributed the increasing cases of missing young ladies and girls being used for ritual purposes in the country to the prevalent hookup culture pervading society.

This is according to Omolola Odutola, the Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Police Command, who spoke on Channels Television‘s Morning Brief on Wednesday, December 4, 2024.

Odutola, who contributed to the topic, ‘Hookup Culture: Impact on Youth Values and Relationships,’ observed that young girls and ladies within the age range of 20 and 32 fall victim to the menace.

The hookup culture encourages casual sexual encounters in some cases between two strangers who could engage in one-night stands without necessarily involving any emotional bonding or long-term commitment.

This is hardly a new concept given that non-romantic sexual encounters, especially prostitution have been around since almost the beginning of time.

“This particular menace is very serious and I would like a lot of young people to understand the danger in the hookup culture.

“Today, we have lots of reports of missing persons. By the time we start an investigation, not less than 10 young girls and ladies go missing daily.

“In-depth investigations also reveal that those cases are not by accidents. Most of them are connected to hookup channels and apps. They fall victim to strangers who casually invite them to unknown places, and eventually fall victim to being used for ritual purposes,” she said.

Odutola says young people believe in ritual wealth

The police spokesperson added that most young Nigerians, especially males believe that ritual killings can make them rich.

“Most cases of missing girls and ritual killings occurring in Ogun state of recent, I would like to say that it is not new. But as much as possible, the Ogun state commissioner of police has been able to tame these ugly incidents.

“It stems from the ugly perspective of young persons who believe that ritual killing could enrich them. We have some of these unscrupulous elements who deceive young people to get human skulls or human body parts, which they use for some kind of concoction to get them rich.

“That is why we are having advocacy and sensitization, to enlighten young persons to make them understand that engaging in ritual killings does not in any way make them rich,” she said.

Source: Hookups to blame for most cases of missing girls, ritual killings in Nigeria – Police

More:

Police link missing girls cases, ritual killings to hookups

Published: December 4, 2024
By: Adetutu Sobowale – Punch, Nigeria

The Nigerian Police Force has linked many cases of missing young women to ritual practices, with a growing connection to the rising hookup culture in the country.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Command, Omolola Odutola, revealed this on Wednesday when she was featured on Channels Television’s Morning Brief.

During the discussion on “Hookup Culture: Impact on Youth Values and Relationships,” Odutola revealed that young women aged 20 to 32 are the most affected.

She added that many young people, especially males, believe that ritual killings are a way to become wealthy.

“This particular menace is very serious and I would like a lot of young people to understand the danger in the hookup culture. Today, we have lots of reports of missing persons. By the time we start an investigation, not less than 10 young girls and ladies go missing daily.

“In-depth investigations also reveal that those cases are not by accidents. Most of them are connected to hookup channels and apps. They fall victim to strangers who causally invite them to unknown places, and eventually fall victim to being used for ritual purposes,” she said.

“Most cases of missing girls and ritual killings occurring in Ogun State of recent, I would like to say that it is not new. But as much as possible, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police has been able to tame these ugly incidents.”

The police boss added, “It stems from the ugly perspective of young persons who believe that ritual killing could enrich them. We have some of these unscrupulous elements who deceive young people to get human skulls or human body parts, which they use for some kind of concoction to get them rich.

“That is why we are having advocacy and sensitization, to enlighten young persons to make them understand that engaging in ritual killings does not in any way make them rich,” she said.

She stated that the police command is collaborating closely with the State Women Affairs Commission to tackle and curb the menace.

She stated, “The Ogun State government, particularly the Women Affairs Commission works in tandem with the police command by providing counselling sessions.

“Apart from that, whenever we have cases such as this if per adventure the girls escape the rituals, we also have a proper way of helping them go through the distress of mental health and anxiety they might have felt during the incident.

“The hookup culture is prevalent among young girls between the ages of 20 to about 32 years. The reason they get involved in this menace is because they feel they don’t get enough from their parents, and then the get-rich syndrome.”

Hookup culture refers to casual sexual relationships, like one-night stands, that often don’t involve emotional attachment or long-term commitment. While this trend has existed since the 1920s, it has become more common and accepted in recent years.

Some argue that hookup culture is a step forward for women’s freedom and empowerment, but others believe it harms the development of healthy and meaningful relationships.

This culture also reflects a double standard, with women often judged more harshly than men for engaging in casual encounters. For instance, women who hook up frequently or go too far in a single encounter may face derogatory labels like “hoe,” while men in similar situations are often praised.

Source: Police link missing girls cases, ritual killings to hookups

Related news:

Police raise the alarm over rising missing persons cases in Ogun

Published: January 8, 2025
By: Punch, Nigeria

The Ogun State Police Command has raised concerns over an increase in reports of missing persons in the state.

The command’s spokesperson, Omolola Odutola disclosed this in a statement in Abeokuta, the state capital, on Tuesday.

She explained that the command had noticed an unprecedented rise in the number of missing persons across all age groups.

Odutola noted that only a small fraction of the individuals had been found, with many regrettably not returning home.

The police spokesperson urged residents to remain vigilant and more security-conscious while prioritising their safety.

She added that, as a proactive and community-oriented force, the command was committed to raising public awareness about this concerning trend.

“We encourage everyone to prioritise their safety by maintaining a heightened sense of security to avoid becoming a victim.

“The Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, has outlined essential measures and guidelines to keep residents informed about the most pressing issues.

“Based on insights from individuals who were rescued, the Commissioner advises parents not to allow their children to use commercial transportation services with strangers.

“Additionally, he encourages restless youth to activate the digital communication and sharing features on their mobile devices, especially when travelling or in moments of distress,” Odutola said.

Odutola further emphasised that the public could contact the police control room at 09164859299 and the Police Public Relations Department at 09159578888 for assistance.

NAN

Source: Police raise the alarm over rising missing persons cases in Ogun

More:

Most Missing Girls Cases, Ritual Killings In Nigeria Connected With Hookups — Police

The Hookup culture encourages and accepts casual sexual encounters, such as one-night stands, without necessarily involving emotional bonding or long-term commitment.

Published: December 4, 2024
By: Channels Television

The Nigerian Police Force has identified most cases of missing young ladies and girls being used for ritual purposes in Nigeria connected to the prevalent hookup culture sweeping across the country.

The Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Command, Omolola Odutola who was a special guest on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Wednesday, to discuss the topic ‘Hookup Culture: Impact on Youth Values and Relationships’, said young girls and ladies within the age range of 20 and 32 fall victim of the menace.

The Hookup culture encourages and accepts casual sexual encounters, such as one-night stands, without necessarily involving emotional bonding or long-term commitment.

The idea of casual, non-romantic sexual encounters has been around since the 1920s.

Some social critics argue that hooking up is a feminist achievement, while others worry that it is a step backwards for healthy, intimate relationships.

The hookup culture can also be gendered, with women being judged by a different standard than men. For example, women who hook up with too many people or go too far in the first hook-up are often judged by terms like “hoe”.

“This particular menace is very serious and I would like a lot of young people to understand the danger in the hookup culture.

“Today, we have lots of reports of missing persons. By the time we start an investigation, not less than 10 young girls and ladies go missing daily.

“In-depth investigations also reveal that those cases are not by accidents. Most of them are connected to hookup channels and apps. They fall victim to strangers who casually invite them to unknown places, and eventually fall victim to being used for ritual purposes,” she said.

She added that most young persons, especially males believe that ritual killings can make them get rich.

‘Most cases of missing girls and ritual killings occurring in Ogun state of recent, I would like to say that it is not new. But as much as possible, the Ogun state commissioner of police has been able to tame these ugly incidents.

“It stems from the ugly perspective of young persons who believe that ritual killing could enrich them. We have some of these unscrupulous elements who deceive young people to get human skulls or human body parts, which they use for some kind of concoction to get them rich.

“That is why we are having advocacy and sensitization, to enlighten young persons to make them understand that engaging in ritual killings does not in any way make them rich,” she said.

According to her, the police command is working closely with the Women Affairs Commission of the state to stem the menace in the tide.

“The Ogun State government, particularly the Women Affairs Commission works in tandem with the police command by providing counselling sessions.

“Apart from that, whenever we have cases such as this if per adventure the girls escape the rituals, we also have a proper way of helping them go through the distress of mental health and anxiety they might have felt during the incident.

“The hookup culture is prevalent among young girls between the ages of 20 to about 32 years. The reason they get involved in this menace is because they feel they don’t get enough from their parents, and then the get-rich syndrome,” she said.

A Development expert, Dorothy Njemanze who also joined the conversation from Abuja, urged the Nigerian Police to provide full security and encourage the reporting culture to deal with the crime.

Development expert Dorothy Njemanze

“A lot of the predatory trends that we see have existed in the society all along. But instead of tackling them headlong, we make excuses and try to guilt-trip people. If you stay in your house, harm can happen to you. You go out, harm can happen to you. A lot of healthy marriages in Nigeria happen through hookups. We are expected to meet people irrespective of how it happened, especially when we are adults.

“But my concern is that the predation system extends to children. A lot of children are being lured through the predation system. Every state needs to have a mandatory reporting system so that when suspicious movements are seen, such activities can be reported. And then for law enforcement, when people report things to you, and you are lax and expect people to write petitions and ply certain routes before you can take action, then there is a problem.

“The proactiveness of law enforcement agencies is what we bank on.

“Bad people plan very well, to gain the trust of who they want to harm to minimise chances of their victims raising alarm for them to be caught.

“I heard the policewoman talking about people going to parties. And I also read about a lady killed by her pastor in the church. So it could be anybody.

“Whatever the dimension that bad people choose to operate, the law enforcement should be able to ready to swoop in and ensure that there is minimal to no damage done, and then the mandatory reporting culture of the society is one thing that can help to minimise these things.

“As long as we can’t control what adults do among each other, we can minimize such occurrences because the hookup culture affects both men and women, but more among the women. There is more pressure on men to have resources that can make them look like big men. But make sure as much as possible whenever you are going out, somebody knows where you are going,” she said.

Screenshot – to access the video please open the link included in the Source (below)

Source: Most Missing Girls Cases, Ritual Killings In Nigeria Connected With Hookups — Police

More:

Ogun police blame hookup for high rate of missing girls

Published: December 4, 2024
By: Olayide Soaga – The Guardian, Nigeria

Omolola Odutola, the Public Relations Officer for the Ogun State Police Command, has blamed the high rate of missing girls and ritual killings involving females in the state on “hookups”.

The Ogun PPRO made this statement on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Wednesday, where she was invited as a special guest to speak on the topic ‘Hookup Culture: Impact on Youth Values and Relationships’.

Hookup is a slang used to describe brief, casual sexual relations between individuals. Odutola described the hookup culture as a menace prevalent among young girls and attributed this to the surge in cases of missing girls and female victims of ritual killings in the state.

“Today, we have lots of reports of missing persons. By the time we start an investigation, not less than 10 young girls and ladies go missing daily.

“In-depth investigations also reveal that those cases are not by accidents. Most of them are connected to hookup channels and apps. They fall victim to strangers who causally invite them to unknown places, and eventually fall victim to being used for ritual purposes,” said Odutola.

The PPRO noted that Ogun State has an ugly history with the cases of missing girls and ritual killings.

In October, the Ogun Police Command declared Testimony John, an 18-year-old girl, missing. The 18-year-old was sent on an errand to Saabo Market in Sagamu and did not return home.

A month before then, in September, the police launched a manhunt for the killers of Habibat Akinsanya, a 17-year-old secondary school student who was abducted and murdered in the state.

Source: Ogun police blame hookup for high rate of missing girls

More:

Hookup Culture Tied To Missing Girls’ Cases, Ritual Killings – Police

Published: December 4, 2024
By: Titilope Adamo – The Osun Defender, Nigeria
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.

The Nigerian Police Force has attributed a significant number of cases involving missing young women to ritual practices closely tied to the rising hookup culture in Nigeria.

Omolola Odutola, the Public Relations Officer for the Ogun State Command, discussed this issue on Wednesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief programme.

Highlighting the impact of hookup culture on youth values, she noted that women aged 20 to 32 are the most vulnerable.

“This particular menace is very serious and I would like a lot of young people to understand the danger in the hookup culture. Today, we have lots of reports of missing persons. By the time we start an investigation, not less than 10 young girls and ladies go missing daily.

She further explained, “It stems from the ugly perspective of young persons who believe that ritual killing could enrich them. We have some of these unscrupulous elements who deceive young people to get human skulls or human body parts, which they use for some kind of concoction to get them rich.

“That is why we are having advocacy and sensitization, to enlighten young persons to make them understand that engaging in ritual killings does not in any way make them rich,” she said.

She also stated that the police command is collaborating closely with the State Women Affairs Commission to tackle and curb the menace.

She added, “The Ogun State government, particularly the Women Affairs Commission works in tandem with the police command by providing counselling sessions.

“Apart from that, whenever we have cases such as this if per adventure the girls escape the rituals, we also have a proper way of helping them go through the distress of mental health and anxiety they might have felt during the incident.

“The hookup culture is prevalent among young girls between the ages of 20 to about 32 years. The reason they get involved in this menace is because they feel they don’t get enough from their parents, and then the get-rich syndrome.”

Hookup culture, which refers to casual sexual relationships like one-night stands, has been debated for its effects on youth.

While some argue it empowers individuals, others criticize its impact on relationships and societal values.

This culture often highlights double standards, with women judged more harshly than men for casual encounters, facing derogatory labels such as “hoe,” while men are often praised.

Source: Hookup Culture Tied To Missing Girls’ Cases, Ritual Killings – Police

More:

Most missing girls cases, ritual killings in Nigeria connected with hookups — Police

Published: December 4, 2025
By: Tobi Benson – Naija Times, Nigeria

THE Nigerian Police Force has linked many cases of missing young women and girls to the rising hookup culture in Nigeria, which is believed to be contributing to their exploitation for ritual purposes.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Command, Omolola Odutola, highlighted during an interview today that young women aged 20 to 32 are particularly vulnerable to this issue.

The hookup culture promotes casual sexual encounters, such as one-night stands, without emotional attachment or long-term commitment.

The idea of casual, non-romantic sexual encounters has been around since the 1920s.

While some social critics view hooking up as a feminist achievement, others express concern that it undermines healthy intimate relationships.

The culture can also be gender-biased, with women facing harsher judgments than men, often labeled derogatorily if they engage with multiple partners or go too far on a first encounter.

Odutola emphasized the seriousness of this issue, stating, “I want young people to understand the dangers of the hookup culture. We receive numerous reports of missing persons, with at least 10 young women disappearing each day. Investigations indicate that these cases are often not accidental; many are linked to hookup platforms and apps, where victims are lured by strangers to unknown locations and subsequently exploited for ritual purposes.”

She noted that many young individuals, particularly males, believe that ritual killings can lead to wealth.

“The recent cases of missing girls and ritual killings in Ogun State are not new, but the Ogun State Commissioner of Police has been working to address these disturbing incidents. The belief that ritual killings can bring wealth is prevalent among some young people, who are often deceived into providing human remains for various rituals.”

To combat this issue, advocacy and awareness campaigns are being conducted to educate young people about the dangers of ritual killings.

The Ogun State Police Command is collaborating with the Women Affairs Commission to tackle the problem effectively.

“The Ogun State government, particularly the Women Affairs Commission, is working alongside the police to provide counseling sessions. In cases where girls escape from rituals, we have established support systems to help them cope with the mental health challenges and anxiety they may experience,” she explained.

Odutola pointed out that the hookup culture is particularly common among young women aged 20 to 32, who may feel financially unsupported by their families and are drawn to the allure of quick wealth.

Development expert Dorothy Njemanze, who joined the discussion from Abuja, urged the Nigerian Police to enhance security measures and promote a culture of reporting suspicious activities to address these crimes.

Njemanze said, “Many predatory behaviors have long existed in society, yet we often make excuses instead of confronting them. Harm can occur whether one stays at home or goes out. While hookups can lead to healthy relationships, my concern is that children are being lured into dangerous situations. Every state should implement a mandatory reporting system for suspicious activities.”

She emphasized the need for law enforcement to act proactively.

“Criminals often plan meticulously to gain their victims’ trust, minimizing the chances of being caught. The police should be prepared to intervene swiftly to prevent harm.

“Regardless of the circumstances, whether at parties or other venues, it is crucial to ensure that someone knows your whereabouts when going out,” she added, highlighting the importance of awareness and caution in navigating the hookup culture, which disproportionately affects women.

Source: Most missing girls cases, ritual killings in Nigeria connected with hookups — Police

Read also:

Most cases of missing persons, related to hookup – Police

Published: December 4, 2024
By: Nkiruka Gloria – Gistreel, Nigeria

The Nigerian Police Force (NPF), has disclosed that most cases of people who have been reported to be missing, is linked to ‘hookup‘.

This was disclosed by the Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Command, Omolola Odutola, while speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, on Wednesday.

She noted that the rising hookup culture in the country, has a growing connection to the many cases of missing young women to ritual practices.

She added that this stems from the ugly perspective of young persons who believe that ritual killing could enrich them.

Odutola stated that young women aged 20 to 32 are the most affected.

She said, “This particular menace is very serious and I would like a lot of young people to understand the danger in the hookup culture. Today, we have lots of reports of missing persons. By the time we start an investigation, not less than 10 young girls and ladies go missing daily.

“In-depth investigations also reveal that those cases are not by accidents. Most of them are connected to hookup channels and apps. They fall victim to strangers who causally invite them to unknown places, and eventually fall victim to being used for ritual purposes. 

“Most cases of missing girls and ritual killings occurring in Ogun State of recent, I would like to say that it is not new. But as much as possible, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police has been able to tame these ugly incidents.”

Source: Most cases of missing persons, related to hookup – Police

Read more:

Nigeria Police Link Missing Girls Cases, Ritual Killings to Hookups

Published: December 4, 2024
by: Naijapals Base – Gist Mania, Nigeria

The Nigerian Police Force has raised concerns about the alarming trend of missing young women and girls, many of whom have reportedly fallen victim to money ritual killings. 
According to SP Omolola Odutola, the spokesperson of the Ogun State Police Command, a significant number of these cases are linked to the growing “hookup culture” in the country.

Odutola shared these insights during a live appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief program on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, where the discussion focused on the topic: “Hookup Culture: Impact on Youth Values and Relationships.” 

She highlighted that young women aged 20 to 32 are particularly vulnerable, often lured into dangerous situations under the guise of casual relationships or financial arrangements.

She added that many young people, especially males, believe that ritual k!llings are a way to become wealthy.

“This particular menace is very serious and I would like a lot of young people to understand the danger in the hookup culture. Today, we have lots of reports of missing persons. By the time we start an investigation, not less than 10 young girls and ladies go missing daily,” the PPRO stated. 

 
“In-depth investigations also reveal that those cases are not by accidents. Most of them are connected to hookup channels and apps. They fall victim to strangers who causally invite them to unknown places, and eventually fall victim to being used for ritual purposes
 
“Most cases of missing girls and ritual killings occurring in Ogun State of recent, I would like to say that it is not new. But as much as possible, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police has been able to tame these ugly incidents.

“It stems from the ugly perspective of young persons who believe that ritual killing could enrich them. We have some of these unscrupulous elements who deceive young people to get human skulls or human body parts, which they use for some kind of concoction to get them rich
 
“That is why we are having advocacy and sensitization, to enlighten young persons to make them understand that engaging in ritual killings does not in any way make them rich,”
 she said.

She stated that the police command is collaborating closely with the State Women Affairs Commission to tackle and curb the menace.

“The Ogun State government, particularly the Women Affairs Commission works in tandem with the police command by providing counselling session.

Source: Nigeria Police Link Missing Girls Cases, Ritual Killings to Hookups

More:

‘Girls, Stop Doing Hookup’ — Police Continue to Reinforce Victim Blaming Culture

Published: December 5, 2024
By: Abimbola Abatta – Foundation for Investigative Journalism, Nigeria

How did she know the killer? Girls, stop doing hookup, but you won’t listen.

FIJ has observed a trend where Nigerians engage in victim blaming whenever women are reported missing. It is worse when they wind up dead and their deaths are linked to ritual killings or intimate partner violence.

Victim blaming essentially implies that a victim deserved the violent crime committed against them, and it comes in various forms.

Sometimes veiled as words of caution, victim blaming springs out in comments such as, “What was she looking for?” “What was she wearing?” “How did she know the killer?” “Stop doing hook up; women no dey hear” “No justice for anybody o,” “Stop dating Yahoo boys,” “Girls will never learn,” “She will think twice in her next life.”

FIJ came across similar comments on X, captured more screenshots and uploaded them to this folder.

One of the comments

What makes this more alarming is how the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) reinforces the culture of victim blaming through careless statements. In 2019, when a suspected serial killer was on a killing spree, having killed the 10th victim, the Rivers State Police Command told young women to shun prostitution.

Chuks Enwonwu, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of administration at the time, said, “In as much as societal values are disintegrating, we must go back to try to educate them (women) and discourage them from going into prostitution because that is how they fall victim to these crimes.”

A similar sentiment from law enforcement played out on Wednesday when Omolola Odutola, the police public relations officer in Ogun State, linked missing women and ritual killings to the hookup culture. This culture encourages casual sex encounters, often paid, without emotional commitment.

According to a publication by the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime, victim blaming occurs when the victim of a crime or an accident is held responsible, whether in whole or in part, for the crimes that have been committed against them.

This blame can be in the form of negative social responses from legal, medical and mental health professionals, as well as from the media, immediate family members and other acquaintances. Some types of crimes victims get blamed for are intimate partner violence, sexual assault, homicide and sex trade.

Odutola was featured on Channels Television’s Morning Brief when she said the hookup culture gives men, who believe ritual killings could enrich them, the platform to lure women to their deaths.

“Most girls who find themselves in hookup acts get missing and slaughtered for ritual purposes,” she said.

Although she noted that the police had been sensitising young persons to make them understand that ritual killings do not in any way make them rich, she stressed the need for women to beware of the hookup culture.

That was not the first time Ogun Police would be warning women about their lifestyle rather than condemning their attackers.

While detailing the arrest of three ritual killers in a post on February 29, the security agency stated, “The Command is using this avenue to advise our young ladies at this umpteenth time to desist from untoward movements. They are advised to use social media and attendant technology positively. It is through the social media platform that all these victims were surreptitiously lured to their untimely death.”

The warning for ladies. Source: Ogun State Police Command’s X page.

Also, in April, the Ogun police wrote on X: “Avoid being a victim of ritual killing: hook up, and its dangers. You may go and never return. Girls, wake up! Young girls, do you know who you are being hooked up to? That person may exchange your beautiful head for peanuts. All that glitters is not gold!”

Meanwhile, Dorothy Njemanze, a communication strategist and development expert who was featured on the television programme along with the Ogun police spokesperson, opined that law enforcement agencies and the government have key roles to play in tackling the underlying issues.

“Instead of tackling them (the issue) head-on, we guilt trip people. Bad people plan very well. They gain the trust of people, but regardless of the dimension that bad people choose to operate, the law enforcement should sweep in and ensure that the impact is reduced,” she said.

Njemanze differed from the police PRO’s argument that the hookup culture was to blame for the prevalent cases of missing women and ritual killings.

She explained that, as someone working in a survivor centre, she encountered cases of children who had been lured through predatory systems. Njemanze pointed out that such cases cannot be classified as hookups.

“The biggest currency that is exploited is trust. The government needs to step in into the get-rich-quick syndrome and empower people who are under the pressure of wanting to break the jinx of poverty,” Njemanze added.

Roseline Adewuyi, a gender and social advocate, told FIJ that the culture of blaming victims is a deep social issue that calls for genuine concern.

“We have had cases of women in Nigeria who are killed for ritual purposes or who have been sexually assaulted and the society goes on to subtly or expressly blame these victims,” Adewuyi stated.

She also said that factors such as existing cultural norms, social conditioning and lack of concrete understanding of the root causes of heinous crimes influence victim-blamers.

For her, the complex root cause of violence against women cannot be understood without first challenging social conditioning and reshaping the ingrained beliefs about gender and victims. Rather than make comments that imply that victims are partly culpable, the responsibility for crimes should be placed squarely on the shoulders of the perpetrators.

“It is when the responsibility of the crime has been rightly placed that we can find out the root cause and motivation of that violence. Commenting about the movements or actions of women in this context distracts the society from the real causes of the problem of gender-based violence,” Adewuyi explained.

To address the victim-blaming biases, Adewuyi said, focus must be on critical stakeholders like the police, who are the first responders in cases of violence against women. She also said that there should be sensitisation programmes on gender issues against the reinforcement of stereotypes, and the police must prioritise the safety of everyone, no matter their gender.

“NGOs, media organisations, communities, schools and others must also be targeted to replace the culture of victim blaming and silence with the culture of respect, consent and gender equality,” the social advocate told FIJ.

Abimbola Abatta is a reporter with FIJ, writing reports in partnership with Report for the World which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe.

Source: ‘Girls, Stop Doing Hookup’ — Police Continue to Reinforce Victim Blaming Culture

And:

Hook-ups reason for missing girls, ritual killings – Police

Published: December 4, 2024
By: Matthew Atungwu – Daily Post, Nigeria

The Nigeria Police said many cases of missing young women to ritual practices are caused by the surge of hook-up culture in the country.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Command, Omolola Odutola, made this revelation on Wednesday when she was featured on Channels Television’s Morning Brief.

According to her, young women aged 20 to 32 were the most affected.

She added that many young people, especially males, believe that ritual killings were a way to become wealthy.

“This particular menace is very serious and I will like a lot of young people to understand the danger in the hookup culture. Today, we have lots of reports of missing persons. By the time we start an investigation, not less than 10 young girls and ladies go missing daily.

“In-depth investigations also reveal that those cases are not by accidents. Most of them are connected to hookup channels and apps. They fall victim to strangers who causally invite them to unknown places and eventually fall victim to being used for ritual purposes.

“Most cases of missing girls and ritual killings occurring in Ogun State of recent, I will like to say that it is not new. But as much as possible, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police has been able to tame these ugly incidents,” she said.

She further said that the Ogun State Police Command was collaborating closely with the state Women Affairs Commission to tackle and curb the menace.

DAILY POST reports that hookup culture refers to casual sexual relationships, like one-night stands, that often don’t involve emotional attachment or long-term commitment.

Source: Hook-ups reason for missing girls, ritual killings – Police

And, finally:

Actress Kate Henshaw reacts to police blaming ritual killings on hookup culture

Published: December 7, 2024
By: Jessica Gistlover – Nigeria

  • Nigerian actress Kate Henshaw has reacted to police reports blaming hookup culture for ritual killings after facing backlash on social media for her statement about Yahoo boys using girls for rituals.
  • On December 4, 2024, Omolola Odutola, the PRO of the Ogun state command, highlighted the dangers of the hookup culture on Channels Television’s Morning Brief.

Nigerian actress Kate Henshaw has responded to police reports attributing ritual killings to hookup culture, following significant criticism on social media in November 2024 regarding her comments about Yahoo boys exploiting women for rituals.

During an appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on December 4, 2024, Omolola Odutola, the Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Command, emphasized the risks associated with hookup culture.

She said, “Today, we have numerous reports of missing persons. By the time we start an investigation, not less than 10 young girls and ladies go missing daily. These cases are not accidental. Most are tied to hookup arrangements where young women are invited by strangers to unknown places, ultimately leading to their harm or use in ritual killings.”

This report garnered significant media attention and elicited various reactions on social media. A user on X recalled the time when Kate Henshaw faced accusations of promoting femicide for expressing a similar viewpoint. 

The post read, “There was a time not too long ago @HenshawKate made a statement as regards this and some people came for her. Alas!!! She has been vindicated.”In response to the post, Kate Henshaw wrote, “Let the role model females who spouted I was promoting femicide show naa.. Alas, their mouths are shut!!”

It is worth noting that on October 31, 2024, Henshaw commented on a viral video featuring a young girl who expressed her intention to date a Yahoo boy, a known fraudster. At that time, Henshaw warned that the young girl was at risk of being exploited for rituals due to her choice. 

She wrote, “Na so dem go take pieces you for ritual…Yeye mindset.”

Henshaw’s remarks were met with backlash from many social media users, who accused her of insensitivity and of endorsing femicide.

An X user asked her, “This is so wrong to say. How is murder justifiable?”

The actress responded, “That’s the value she placed on herself with her words and actions. That’s how she reduced herself to be used by all and sundry. That’s the green light she has put on but that’s OK with you.”

Source: Actress Kate Henshaw reacts to police blaming ritual killings on hookup culture

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dr. Leo Igwe directs the Advocacy for Alleged Witches.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Related articles:

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

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

Nigeria: Police burst organ harvesting syndicate in Rivers State

The criminal nature of ritualistic killings goes without saying. Ritual killings are a crime and ritual killers are liable to prosecution. People who kill other people for ritual purposes usually do it for specific reasons related to their personal situation: to gain (more) power, prestige or wealth. The ‘engine’ of their criminal behavior is a combination of greed and superstition.

However, there are also criminals who use this combination of greed and superstition of other people as an income-generating model. They specialize in murdering innocent people for the sole purpose of harvesting their organs which then are sold for ritual purposes. A gruesome crime.

This what happened in Rivers state. The police in Rivers State, a state in the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria, tracked a criminal syndicate that has been specializing in murdering e-hailing cab-drivers and harvesting their organs which were subsequently sold to unscrupulous individuals who wanted these organs and body parts for ritual purposes (‘money rituals’).

Unfortunately, the phenomenon of ‘money rituals’ is widespread in Africa’s most populated country, Nigeria. This is also the reason why the Federal Government recently imposed a ban on ritual killings in Nollywood movies in an attempt to curb the popularity of this phenomenon which is basically a crime based on superstition.

Rivers State, also known as Rivers, is located in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The Federal Republic of Nigeria is divided into six geopolitical zones commonly called zones.

The six geopolitical zones of Nigeria

Rivers State is Nigeria’s 8th most populous state with an estimated population of over 7 million (2024). About half the population lives in Port Harcourt, the fast growing state capital and centre of the booming oil industry. Rivers is characterized by its many ethnic groups and its linguistic diversity. With a surface area of 11,077 km2 it ranks 26th (out of 36) on the list of Nigerian states by area.  

Police Burst Organ Harvesting Syndicate In Rivers, Trail Fleeing Members

Organ harvesting suspect

Published: June 2, 2024
By: Itode Akari – Independent, Nigerią

PORT HARCOURT – The Police in Rivers State have arrested a member criminal syndicate, that specialises in murdering e-hailing cab drivers and harvesting their organs for ritual purposes in the state.

The arrested suspect, a 35-year-old graduate of political science from the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, identified as Anthony Chima, confessed to have recently lured an innocent cab driver into his gang’s ambush, where the driver was waylaid before he was murdered in cold blood by the gang.

A statement signed by the Public Relations Officer for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko on Sunday, stated that the suspect was arrested following an investigation into the mysterious disappearance of one e-hailing cab driver on January 10, 2024, identified as Oghenevwarhe Barry Akpobome.

According to the police, a member of the syndicate confessed to have posed as a passenger to lure the unsuspecting driver to a remote area in Aminigboko community, Abia/Odual Local Government Area of the state, where other armed gang members laid an ambush and pounced on the driver, bound him both arms and legs, gagging his mouth and eventually killing him for the purpose of harvesting his organs.

The statement reads, “In a shocking turn of events, the Rivers State Police have uncovered a disturbing criminal enterprise that has been targeting Uber drivers in the region. The investigation was sparked by the disappearance of one such driver, Oghenevwarhe Barry Akpobome, leading to the arrest and confession of 35-year-old Anthony Chima, a political science graduate from the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education.

“According to Chima’s testimony, he was recruited into a gang that specialized in luring cab drivers into ambushes, stealing their vehicles, and ultimately murdering them for ritualistic purposes and organ harvesting.

“Chima revealed that he was brought into the fold by a friend, Amfoh Abu, who introduced him to the gang’s armourer, a man known as “Reason,” and the notorious ringleader, “General Effizy,” a prominent figure in the Greenland cult and a seasoned kidnapper.

“The chilling details of Akpobome’s demise emerged as Chima recounted the events of January 10, 2024. On that fateful day, he was summoned to Reason’s residence and instructed to call a driver whose number he had previously collected. Posing as a passenger, Chima then lured the unsuspecting Uber driver to a remote area in Aminigboko, where he and Reason were met by General Effizy and four armed gang members.

“The driver was forcibly removed from the vehicle and taken to Effizy’s shrine, where he was bound, gagged, and ultimately murdered. Chima’s involvement in the gruesome act was confirmed when the police, following his confession, recovered the victim’s skull and a locally fabricated Beretta pistol from Effizy’s residence.”

Iringe-Koko quoted the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu to have advised citizens of the state and drivers to be circumspect while boarding passengers to remote areas in the state.

She noted that while the police continues to trail fleeing members of the syndicate, emphasising that the case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that lurk in the shadows, and the importance of vigilance and cooperation between law enforcement and the public in maintaining the safety of all citizens.

“This disturbing revelation has sent shockwaves through the community, prompting the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Cp Tunji Disu, to advise both citizens and Uber drivers. He urged them to exercise caution when boarding or transporting passengers, especially to remote or potentially dangerous areas.

“The investigation is ongoing, with the authorities still searching for the fleeing suspects involved in this chilling criminal enterprise. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that lurk in the shadows, and the importance of vigilance and cooperation between law enforcement and the public in maintaining the safety of all citizens. Meanwhile, the suspect would be charged to court immediately.”

Source: Police Burst Organ Harvesting Syndicate In Rivers, Trail Fleeing Members

More:

Police arrest gang known for killing cab drivers, harvesting body parts for rituals

The arrest of one gang member exposed the sinister activities of the gang in the state.

Published: June 4, 2024
By: News Agency of Nigeria – Pulse, Nigeria

And:

Police nab Rivers’ syndicate targeting ride-hailing drivers for ritual purposes

“The driver was forcefully removed from the vehicle and taken to Effizy’s shrine, where he was tied up, gagged and gruesomely murdered.”

Published: June 4, 2024
By: News Agency of Nigeria – Peoples Gazette, Nigeria

And:

Police Uncover Gang Targeting, Killing Car-Hire Drivers In Rivers

The Rivers State Police Command has arrested some members of a criminal gang suspected to be murdering car-hire drivers and stealing their vehicles. 

Published: June 5, 2024
By: Daily Trust, Nigeria

Nigeria: FG ban on smoking, ritual killings scenes in Nollywood movies revisited: Filmmaker supports ban

I thought it interesting and useful to add another post on the federal government’s ban om smoking and ritual killing in Nollywood movies.

Filmmaker and co-founder of Yabatech Film Academy, Abay Esho, publicly supported the ban emphasizing that “Nollywood is a major contributor to the epidemic ‘money ritual’ in present Nigeria.

Need I say more?
(FVDK)

Filmmaker Supports Ban On Smoking, Ritual Killing Scenes

Abay Esho, Nigerian filmmaker

Published: June 1, 2024
By: Samuel Abulude – Leadership, Nigeria

Filmmaker and co-founder of Yabatech Film Academy, Abay Esho, has offered his opinion in support of the federal government’s recent ban on smoking, ritual killing and glamourisation of crime in Nigerian films.

Esho who believes the media to be an important tool for social engineering of any society, said a society cannot separated from whatever it’s been fed over a long period of time. 

Nollywood, he said ought to drive change by deliberately producing movies that set agenda, change behaviour and its viewers perception and way of thinking. 

The director’s statement is in response to the chief executive officer (CEO) of National Film and Videos Censors Board (NFVCB), Shuaibu Husseini, announcement of federal government’s approval of a ban on glamourisation in Nollywood films, last week, at the National Stakeholders Engagement on Smoke-free Nollywood in Enugu.

The ban, has triggered mixed reactions amongst Nigerian movie stakeholders who were vocal about their stance.

Esho whose views aligns with Husseini’s on ‘money ritual’ factor in Nollywood films, stressed that Nollywood is a major contributor to the epidemic ‘money ritual’ in present Nigeria, but the distrust of Nigerians in Africa owing to “what we portray in our films, especially the ones with money ritual theme.”

He, however, expressed reservations with the NFVCB’s CEO on banning of smoking in movies noting it’s be near impossible to do so. “It will be difficult to place a ban on smoking because if the story has a smoking character, how else do you expect (filmmakers) to portray that?” 

Source: Filmmaker Supports Ban On Smoking, Ritual Killing Scenes

Nigeria: again on the ban on money ritual and other vices in Nollywood movies

On May 25, I posted the news that the Nigerian federal government had announced a ban on money ritual, ritual killing and other vices in Nollywood movies. This morning I read a very interesting editorial comment on this decision in a Nigerian newspaper which I like sharing with you. The editorial provides us with more insight in the background of the federal government’s ban, in particular I cite:

“Nigerian movies have generally tended to present false narratives, (….). They have glamorized voodoo, conveying the impression that it is the only source of wealth, and thus misleading the country’s army of impressionable, often jobless youths who have, by their own admission, not only learnt bad habits from the movies but put them into practice, sometimes landing in the clutches of the law and lamenting their poor choices. “

Moreover, the Tribune Editorial places the ban in a historic perspective and appeals to film makers to take their responsibility in a modernizing society such as Nigeria’s. It concludes:

“(…) movie culture should be dynamic. (…) the content of Nigerian films should be in tandem with the paradigm shift in the society. The idea, however, is not just about issuing a ban, but more about the state of enlightenment and development of those involved in the industry.
Their production naturally would not just portray their creative predilections, but also their level of consciousness, which makes it important to raise the consciousness of movie producers and practitioners, such that they would key into the idea of using their films to portray the limitations of rituals and not seek to glamorize them. Indeed, with the right kind of consciousness, films and movies are some of the best ways to help change society and correct anomalies. (…)”

Well said!
(FVDK)

The ban on money ritual, other vices in movies

Published: May 31, 2024
By: Tribune Editorial Board

WORRIED by the accustomed negative trends in Nigerian movies, the Federal Government recently placed a ban on the promotion of money rituals and vices in Nigerian films.

Disclosing this during a National Stakeholders Engagement on Smoke-Free Nollywood held in Enugu, Enugu State,  an event organised by the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) and the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), the Executive Director/CEO  of  the NFVCB, Dr Shaibu Husseini, said that the country was currently confronted with an industry emergency requiring bold and ambitious actions from all parents, guardians and stakeholders.

He said: “I am delighted to announce to you that the  Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, pursuant to Section 65 of the NFVCB Act 2004, has approved  the regulation. The minister has approved the Prohibition of Money Ritual, Ritual Killing, Tobacco, Tobacco Products, Nicotine Product Promotion and Glamorization Display in Movies, Musical Videos and Skits Regulations 2024. We have also forwarded the approved copy to the Federal Ministry of Justice for Gazette.”

According to him, besides the health implications,  glamorizing  smoking in films has a negative influence on  teens and young adults, the largest segment of Nigerian movie viewers. His words: “The film industry occupies a central position in the entertainment and creative sector, and it is imperative that we continue to place the highest premium on the progress of the film industry. The NFVCB supports smoke-free movies and supports smoke-free Nollywood, and we therefore seek your collaboration to develop creative content that discourages smoking and promotes positive health messages. After series of engagements, the NFVCB in collaboration with the CAPPA decided to do a subsidiary regulation to address smoking in movies since this aspect was not expressly spelt out in the extant law. The NFVCB is well prepared to take leadership in this regard and has planned and begun implementing innovative ways to achieve its mandate.”

For decades, while there have admittedly been some positives in terms of the exponential growth of the movie industry and the expansion of the audience and income base, together with growth in terms of the technical aspects of movie making, including the use of special effects, Nigerian movies have generally tended to present false narratives, shirked the social responsibility of advocating societal change,  and assisted the feckless political establishment in confining the vast majority of Nigerians to the morass of poverty, despondency and despair.

They have glamorized voodoo, conveying the impression that it is the only source of wealth, and thus misleading the country’s army of impressionable, often jobless youths who have, by their own admission, not only learnt bad habits from the movies but put them into practice, sometimes landing in the clutches of the law and lamenting their poor choices.

It is a fact that even at this very moment, most Nigerian movies continue to portray Nigerians as a people very badly; that is, as avid subscribers to dark and demonic practices, fraud, prostitution and drug abuse, to mention but a few. They show a society still living in the stone age, which is why the late erudite scholar, Professor Ayo Banjo, once panned them for consistently portraying a bygone age and for being pernicious in their messages. In most cases, the movies portray Nigerians as a people still stuck in superstition, whereas culture is dynamic and any aspect of it that is repugnant should be discarded. Nigerian movies, if they are to assist in the development and  modernisation effort, ought to project positive images and ideas. They ought to enable and give a fillip to science and technology.

Nothing in life is static: movie culture should be dynamic.  There was a time twin babies had to be killed in many communities in this country, but magnifying such today is evidently anachronistic. Sticking to the osu caste system, the suppression of widows and genital mutilation is barbaric: the content of Nigerian films should be in tandem with the paradigm shift in the society. The idea, however, is not just about issuing a ban, but more about the state of enlightenment and development of those involved in the industry. Their production naturally would not just portray their creative predilections, but also their level of consciousness, which makes it important to raise the consciousness of movie producers and practitioners, such that they would key into the idea of using their films to portray the limitations of rituals and not seek to glamorize them. Indeed, with the right kind of consciousness, films and movies are some of the best ways to help change society and correct anomalies. The idea should be to conscientize movie practitioners about the need to observe the limits and negatives of rituals and use their craft to help dissuade society from them. The government should take up this advocacy in earnest.

Source: The ban on money ritual, other vices in movies

Nigerian government bans ritual killings in movies 

I have a special reason for including the recent ‘noise’ in Nigerian newspapers and other news media about the Federal Government’s decision to ban smoking, ritual killings (‘money rituals’) and other harmful, indecent and/or criminal habits and practices in movies and music videos – and the subsequent denial of such a measure as well as the rationale of a ban. The at times contradictory articles are very confusing but I leave it to the reader to appreciate what really happened.

The reason for including these articles here is that it clearly shows how ‘normal’ it is to talk about ritual killings in Nigeria. It clearly demonstrates how much ‘money rituals’ are part of daily life in Nigeria. In fact, the occurrence of ritual murders in movies reflect the occurrence of ritualistic murders in daily life. A sad reality.

There was no reason to include these articles on the FG’s ban on ritual killings in movies to prove that these outdated, criminal and repulsive practices and crimes still occur in one of Africa’s most modern countries. As stated before, it is impossible to include here all reports of discovered bodies with organs or other body parts missing, and all reported cases of ‘money rituals’ in this West African country. I estimate that every day at least one ritual murder is committed in Nigeria. After all, Nigeria also is Africa’s most populated country with a population exceeding 225 million people.
(webmaster FVDK)

Nigerian govt bans smoking, ritual killings in movies, music videos, skits – Published May 24, 2024 – Screenshot – To access the YouTube video, please click here

JUST IN:
Tinubu Bans Money Ritual, Smoking Scenes in Nollywood Films, Gives Reason

Published: May 23, 2024
By: Esther Odili – Legit, Nigeria
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

  • The federal government led by Bola Tinubu has announced the ban on money ritual, ritual killing and other vices in Nollywood movies.
  • Shaibu Husseini, the executive director of the National Film and Video Censors Board, confirmed the development at a national stakeholders’ engagement in Enugu on Wednesday.
  • Dr Husseini explained that the move became imperative to urgently address the ugly trend.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led federal government has approved the prohibition of money rituals and the glamorising of vices in Nigerian films.

Tinubu’s government confirmed the ban on smoking, rituals, and other negative vices in Nollywood films. Photo credit: Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Source: Facebook

“To sanitise the film industry”, FG says
As reported by The Punch, Shaibu Husseini, the executive director and CEO of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), disclosed this at a National Stakeholders Engagement on Smoke-Free Nollywood held in Enugu on Wednesday, May 22.

Husseini lamented that the present day movie industry is facing an “industry emergency” requiring bold and ambitious actions from all parents, guardians and stakeholders, Vanguard reported. He added that the regulation to ban smoking and other crimes has been approved by Hannatu Musawa, the minister of arts, culture and the creative economy, The Cable reported.

“As you all know, the film industry occupies a central position in the entertainment and creative sector and it is imperative that we continue to place the highest premium on the progress of the film industry,” he said.

“When my predecessor approached the former Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed on the need to make a subsidiary legislation to curtail the display of smoking in Nigerian movies, he saw the need to include money rituals.

“Others included in the regulation are ritual killings and glamorising other crimes to further sanitise the film industry.”

Movie producers, directors and actors drawn from different parts of the country, as well as leaders of various guilds and associations in the Nigerian film industry were present at the event.

Kano government bans movies promoting cross-dressing
In a similar development, Legit.ng reported that the Kano state government banned all movies and cinematic productions promoting thuggery and cross-dressing in the state.

This was announced in a press statement issued by the media officer of the state’s censorship board, Abdullah Sani Sulaiman. “It is high time we put a stop to this sort of films that corrupt the morals of the Kano people,” the board stated.

Source: Legit.ng

Source: JUST IN: Tinubu Bans Money Ritual, Smoking Scenes in Nollywood Films, Gives Reason

Read also:

Kanayo O Kanayo Attacks FG Over Plans to Ban Rituals Scenes, Others in Movies: “Arrant Nonsense”

Published: May 24, 2024
By: Chinasa Afigbo – Legit, Nigeria

  • Nigerian actor Kanayo O. Kanayo is enraged over the latest regulations by the government to ban ritual scenes and more in Nollywood movies.
  • The veteran known for portraying such continuous roles dropped a message for the minster and his cohorts. 
  • The new restriction claimed that such movie interpretations had a negative impact on teens and young adults.

Prominent Nigerian actor Kanayo O. Kanayo, aka Nnayi Sacrifice, is displeased over the government’s new laws to scrap rituals and other likely portrayals from films, music videos, and skit content.

The Executive Director/CEO of National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Shaibu Husseini, stated days ago that the Federal Government has approved the prohibition of money rituals and glamourising of vices in Nigerian films.

Husseini disclosed this while speaking at a National Stakeholders Engagement on Smoke-Free Nollywood in Enugu on Wednesday, May 22. The NFVCB boss said in part:

“When my predecessor approached the former Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, about the need to make a subsidiary legislation to curtail the display of smoking in Nigerian movies, he saw the need to include money rituals. Others included in the regulation are ritual killings and glamourising other crimes to further sanitise the film industry.”

According to Husseini, in addition to the health concerns, glamorising smoking in films has a negative impact on teens and young adults, who make up the majority of Nigeria’s moviegoers. He stated that the board planned to implement extensive enlightenment campaigns in secondary schools, tertiary institutions, local communities, faith organisations, and other institutions.

Kanayo O Kanayo reacts 
Kanayo criticised the policy and classified it as “arrant nonsense”. He questioned Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa’s justification for imposing such restrictions on filmmakers and mocked his tenure.

“Arrant NONSENSE. This Minister has no work, just like Liar Mohammed.”

See his remark here:

Source: Kanayo O Kanayo Attacks FG Over Plans to Ban Rituals Scenes, Others in Movies: “Arrant Nonsense”

And:

I Didn’t Pronounce Ban on Smoking and Ritual Scenes in Movies – Shaibu Husseini

Published: May 24, 2024
By: Thandiubani – tori.ng

The event was organised by the NFVCB and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA). 

Executive director of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) Shaibu Husseini has denied reports that the Federal Government has placed a ban on money rituals and smoking in Nigerian films and skits.

Clarifying the report, Husseini while speaking at a national stakeholders engagement on smoke-free Nollywood in Enugu on Wednesday, debunked the viral report.

The event was organised by the NFVCB and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA).

Movie producers, directors and actors drawn from different parts of the country, as well as leaders of various guilds and associations in the Nigerian film industry were present at the event.

However, in a statement on Thursday released on social media, Husseini said in part:

“I did NOT announce a ban on ‘smoking, or smoking, and ritual scenes in movies’ at the (southeast zone) stakeholders engagement on a healthy screen and the campaign to have a smoke free Nollywood which held in Enugu in collaboration with @CAPPAfrica. No, I did NOT.

“What I mentioned in a speech that I have shared here is the existence of a regulation (NFVCB Regulations 2024) that in line with global best practices prohibits the PROMOTION and GLAMOURISATION of Money Ritual, Ritual Killing, Tobacco, Tobacco product, Nicotine products in movies, musical videos and skits. The regulation aims at discouraging the ‘unnecessary’ depiction, promotion, advertisement, or glamourisation of tobacco or nicotine products in movies, musical videos, and skits.”

Husseini assured that the NFVCB would not implement any policy that will muzzle creativity. He added:

“Any movie, skit, or musical video that displays or depicts tobacco or nicotine products, brands, or use that is necessary to the realization of a narrative shall be given the appropriate classification (rating) and shall not be shown to persons below the age of 18.”

Source: I Didn’t Pronounce Ban on Smoking and Ritual Scenes in Movies – Shaibu Husseini

More links:

Ban On Smoking And Ritual In Nollywood: Kanayo .O. Kanayo and Mike Okori Berate Action
May 23, 2024

NFVCB clarifies ban on ritual, smoking scenes in Nollywood
May 24, 2024

Nigeria Bans Money Rituals And Smoking In Movies
May 24, 2024

Kanayo O. Kanayo Fumes as FG Bans ‘Money Rituals’ in Nollywood
May 24, 2024

‘Nnayi sacrifice’ Kanayo O. Kanayo Rages as FG Bans ‘Money Rituals’ in Nollywood
May 24, 2024

NFVCB Didn’t Announce Ban On Smoking, Rituals — DG, Husseini Shaibu
May 25, 2024

FG denies placing ban on smoking, rituals in films
May 25, 2024

FG clarifies placing ban on smoking, rituals in films
May 25, 2024

NFVCB clarifies ban on ritual, smoking scenes in Nollywood
May 25, 2024

NFVCB: Why FG Banned Rituals, Smoking In Movies
May 25, 2024

Rid Nollywood Of Money Rituals – FG Tells Filmmakers
May 25, 2024

Political map of Nigeria showing the 36 states and the seat of the Federal Government (FG), Abuja

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

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

Nigeria: The illusion of money-making rituals

“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: February 9, 2022: House of Representatives asks Federal Government to declare state of emergency on ritual killings

As far as I know it is unprecedented in the history of Nigeria: lawmakers have urged the government of president Buhari to declare a state of emergency on ritual killings in the country. Even continent-wise, it is a novelty, to my knowledge. It is symptomatic for the widespread occurrence of ‘money rituals’ in the country, as I have repeatedly stated here. 

No need to elaborate now on the details of the various (read: many) cases of ritualistic murders which motivated the House of Representatives of Africa’s most populated country to take this bold step. The news had a nation-wide coverage as is amply demonstrated by the nearly 30 newspaper articles cited (and partly reproduced) below – far from all publications on this historic decision. 

Warning:  some readers may find (some of) the following articles disturbing because of the graphic description of ritualistic activities. (FVDK)

Declare state of emergency on ritual killings —Reps to FG

Members of the House of Representatives during plenary

Published: February 9, 2022
By: Segun Adewole – Punch, Nigeria

The House of Representatives on Wednesday said a state of emergency on ritual killings in the country should be declared by the Federal Government.

The lawmakers also called for a campaign against the menace, saying the effort of parents, schools, religious leaders and the media is needed.

This is following a motion sponsored by Deputy Minority Leader of the House, Toby Okechukwu, who lamented that ritual killings have taken a new dimension in recent times.

He said, “There’s an upsurge of reported ritual killings with increasing cases of abductions and missing persons in different parts of the country, which in most cases, the culprits also rape, maim, kill and obtain sensitive body parts of unsuspecting victims for rituals.

“Merchants of such wicked acts often use social media as a ready tool to advertise their evil behaviour. Ritual killing has become a predominant theme in most homemade movies which if not checked, our younger generation may begin to view as an acceptable norm.

“There are several reports where law enforcement agents arrested and paraded suspects of ritual killings with gory pictures of human skulls and dismembered bodies.

“Fake clerics, imams, herbalists and native doctors are often complicit in the heinous practices. Although our communities are getting more religious with the proliferation of churches and mosques, the ugly trend of ritual killing is on the rise as the quest for wealth at all costs pervades our society.

“Youths in other climes are embracing science and technology as a way of maintaining pace with our dynamic world while some of our youths seem stuck in the mistaken belief that sacrificing human blood is the surest route to wealth, safety and protection.

“Such cruel and barbaric acts should no longer be promoted in our society given the demands of today’s world.”

The motion was unanimously adopted by the House which called on the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba to “take urgent steps to increase surveillance and intelligence gathering with a view to apprehend and prosecute all perpetrators of ritual killings in Nigeria”.

Copyright PUNCH.

Source: Declare state of emergency on ritual killings —Reps to FG

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Reps task IG on ritual killings

The House of Representatives – Photo Facebook / Speaker Gbaja

Published: February 9, 2022
By: NAN – The Guardian, Nigeria

The House of Representatives has charged the Inspector General of Police (I-G) to take urgent steps towards tacking ritual killings in the country.

This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Rep Toby Okechukwu, the Deputy Minority Leader, at the plenary on Wednesday in Abuja.

Presenting the motion, Okechukwu said that incidents of ritual killings had assumed an alarming rate in Nigeria while decrying the upsurge of reported ritual killings with increasing cases of abductions and missing persons in different parts of the country.

He added that in most cases, the culprits also rape, maim, kill and cut out sensitive body parts of unsuspecting victims for rituals.

He said that the Red Cross Society in 2017 reported that it received 10,480 reports of missing persons in Nigeria.
“On Jan. 22, three teenage suspects and a 21-year-old reportedly killed one Sofiat Kehinde and severed her head and burnt in a local pot in Abeokuta, Ogun.

”The police command in Ogun on Feb. 7, reported that one of the suspects confessed that he learned the act of ritual killing from a video he watched on Facebook,” he stated.

He said that the death of Sofiat attracted national outrage and condemnation considering the age of the suspected killers.

The lawmaker said that merchants of such wicked acts often use the social media as a tool to advertise their evil acts.

He also mentioned the grievous killing of Iniobong Umoren, a young woman in her 20s; who was lured to a particular location in Uyo, Akwa Ibom for a job interview, as widely reported in the national dailies.

He also cited the gruesome killings and heinous activities of Badoo Boys in Lagos State, which was also reported in the national dailies.

“Ritual killing had become a predominant theme in most homemade movies which if not checked, our younger generation may begin to view it as an acceptable norm,” he said.

The House thereafter declared a national emergency on ritual killings and urged National Orientation Agency (NOA), stakeholders and the media to initiate a campaign towards changing the situation in the country.

The House tasked the Executive Director, National Film and Video Censors Board to rise to the mandate of the agency as the clearinghouse for all movies produced in the country.

Source: Reps task IG on ritual killings

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Reps Ask FG To Declare National Emergency On Ritual Killings

Screenshot – click on image in original to watch the video

Published: February 9, 2022
By: Terry Ikumi – Channels TV, Nigeria

The House of Representatives has called for the declaration of a national emergency on ritual killings across the country.

This formed part of the resolutions reached by the lawmakers on a motion of urgent public importance entitled ‘Need to Curb the Rising Trend of Ritual Killings in Nigeria’.

Mr Toby Okechukwu, the Minority Leader of the House, moved the motion during Wednesday’s plenary at the lower chamber of the National Assembly in Abuja.

The motion comes amid the incessant killing of innocent Nigerians for ritual purposes, with one of the latest being the murder of Sofiat Okeowo in Ogun State.

Worried about the trend, the lawmakers called on the National Orientation Agency (NOA), as well as parents, heads of schools, religious leaders, and the media to undertake a campaign to change the negative narrative bedevilling the society.

They resolved to call on the Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board to rise to the mandate of the agency, as the clearinghouse for all movies produced in the country.

While moving the motion, Okechukwu called the attention of the House to the recent incidents of ritual killings which he said have assumed an alarming rate.

He condemned the upsurge of reported ritual killings with increasing cases of abductions and missing persons in different parts of the country, saying the culprits in most cases rape, maim, kill and obtain sensitive body parts of unsuspecting victims for rituals.

The Red Cross Society, according to him, reported that it received 10,480 reports of missing persons in Nigeria in 2017, and three teenage suspects and a 20-year-old were accused of killing Sofiat.

The lawmaker told his colleagues that the Ogun State Police Command later reported on Monday that one of the suspects confessed that he learned the act of ritual killing from a video he watched on Facebook.

He also condemned the killing of Iniobong Umoren, a woman in her 20s, after being lured to a location in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State for a job interview.

Okechukwu stressed the need to be mindful of the role of the Nigerian movie industry in moulding the behavioural patterns in the society, as well as the mandate of NFVCB and others.

The lawmakers mandated the House Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics, and Values to report back to the House within four weeks.

According to them, the Inspector General of Police should take urgent steps to increase surveillance and intelligence gathering, with a view to apprehend and prosecute all perpetrators of ritual killings in Nigeria.

Similarly, the House Committee on Police Affairs was mandated to report back to the lawmakers within four weeks.

Source: Reps Ask FG To Declare National Emergency On Ritual Killings

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Reps ask FG to declare state of emergency on ritual killings

Nigeria’s House of Representatives in session. Photo used for illustrative purposes.

Published: February 9, 2022
By: Vincent Ufuoma – ICIR, International Centre for Investigative Reporting

THE House of Representatives has asked the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on ritual killings in the country.

This followed a motion moved by the House Deputy Minority Leader Toby Okechukwu during Wednesday’s plenary.

Okechukwu, who noted that ritual killings have assumed an alarming rate in Nigeria in recent times, lamented the increasing cases of abductions and missing persons in different parts of the country.

He said in most cases, the culprits also rape, maim, kill and obtain sensitive body parts of unsuspecting victims for rituals.

The lawmaker also decried the roles of various social groups, especially the entertainment industry, in reinforcing ritual killings among young people.

Okechukwu said, “Ritual killing has become a predominant theme in most home made movies which if not checked, our younger generation may begin to view it as an acceptable norm.

“There are several reports where law enforcement agents arrested and paraded suspects of ritual killings with gory pictures of human skulls and dismembered bodies.

“Fake clerics, imams, herbalists and native doctors are often complicit in the heinous practices.

“Although our communities are getting more religious with the proliferation of churches and mosques, the ugly trend of ritual killing is on the rise as the quest for wealth at all cost pervades our society.”

The lawmaker expressed worry that while youths in other climes were embracing science and technology as a way of maintaining pace with the world, some Nigerian youths were enmeshed in the belief that human sacrifice would bring them wealth, protection and security.

Adopting the motion, the House of Representatives asked the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Usman Baba Alkali to take urgent steps to increase surveillance and intelligence gathering with a view to fishing out, arresting and prosecuting the perpetrators of the ritual killings.

The House called on the National Orientation Agency (NOA), parents, heads of schools, religious leaders and the media to undertake a campaign to change the negative narrative that is bedeviling the society.

Subsequently, the House mandated its Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values to ensure compliance of the resolution and report back within weeks.

Last month, a 20-year-old lady, Sofiat Kehinde was gruesomely murdered in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital by four teenage boys aged 17, 18, 19 and 20.

Sofiat’s head was severed by the boys and they were burning it in a pot for money ritual before they were apprehended.

The four teenage suspects arrested by the police are Soliu Majekodunmi, Wariz Oladehinde, Abdulgafar Lukman, and Balogun Mustaqeem.

They confessed to have conspired to kill Sofiat and played different roles in her murder.

One of the suspects, Mustaqeem, confessed that he was motivated by a post he saw on Facebook to murder Kehinde for money ritual.

He said, “I saw a post on Facebook that explained how to get rich quickly. I downloaded the video because I had interest in getting wealthy at an early stage. I wanted to get rich and lead a luxurious life.

“The video was what prompted me to tell Soliu about getting rich quickly at our early age. He was interested after I showed him the video on my phone and asked where we would get the materials we needed.”

Source: Reps ask FG to declare state of emergency on ritual killings

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Reps to FG: Declare national emergency on ritual killings in Nigeria

…ask IGP to arrest, prosecute perpetrators

…prompt NOA, parents, heads of schools, religious leaders, media to lead campaign against killings

Published: February 9, 2022
By: Levinus Nwabughiou, Abuja – Vanguard, Nigeria   

Jolted by the reports of incessant ritual killings across the country, the House of Representatives, Wednesday, asked the federal government to declare a national emergency on the social vice.

The House also asked the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Usman Baba Alkali to take urgent steps to increase surveillance and intelligence gathering with a view to fishing out, arresting and prosecuting the perpetrators of the killings.

The parliament also called on the National Orientation Agency, parents, heads of schools, religious leaders and the media to undertake a campaign to change the negative narrative that bedeviling the society.

The resolutions of the House came after it considered a motion titled “Need to Curb the Rising Trend of Ritual Killings in Nigeria”, presented at the plenary by the deputy minority leader, Hon. Toby Okechukwu under matters of urgent public importance.

Presenting the motion, Okechukwu noted that the incidents of ritual killings have assumed an alarming rate in Nigeria in recent times.

He said there was an upsurge of reported ritual killings with increasing cases of abductions and missing persons in different parts of the country, which in most cases, the culprits also rape, maim, kill and obtain sensitive body parts of unsuspecting victims for rituals.

He said: “The Red Cross Society in 2017 reported that it received 10,480 reports of missing persons in Nigeria.

“On January 22, 2022, three teenage suspects and a twenty year old reportedly killed one Sofiat Kehinde and had her head severed and burnt in a local pot in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

“Ogun State Police Command on Monday, February 7, 2022 reported that one of the suspects confessed that he learned the act of ritual killing from a video he watched on Facebook.”

The lawmaker recalled that the death of Sofiat has attracted national outrage and condemnation considering the ages of her killers.

“Merchants of such wicked acts often use the social media as a ready tool to advertise their evil behaviours.

“The grievous killing of Iniobong Umoren, a young woman in her 20s; after being lured to a particular location in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State for a job interview, as widely reported in the national dailies.

“The gruesome killings and heinous activities of Badoo Boys in Lagos State, which was also reported in the national dailies.

“Ritual killing has become a predominant theme in most home made movies which if not checked, our younger generation may begin to view it as an acceptable norm.

“Several reports where law enforcement agents arrested and paraded suspects of ritual killings with gory pictures of human skulls and dismembered bodies.

“Fake clerics, imams, herbalists and native doctors are often complicit in the heinous practices.

“Although our communities are getting more religious with the proliferation of churches and mosques, the ugly trend of ritual killing is on the rise as the quest for wealth at all cost pervades our society.”

Okechukwu expressed worry that while youths in other climes are embracing science and technology as a way of maintaining pace with our dynamic world, some of our youths seem stuck in the mistaken belief that sacrificing human blood is the surest route to wealth, safety and protection.

“Such cruel and barbaric acts should no longer be promoted in our society given the demands of today’s world.

“The growing rate of unemployment in the country.

“The moral decadence in our society, a trend that has promoted the get-rich-quick syndrome among our youths.

“The role of the Nigerian movie industry in moulding behavioral patterns in our society vis-a-vis the mandate of the National Film and Video Censors Board as a clearing house for movies produced in the country.

“A lot needs to be done by the Police and other law enforcement agencies to checkmate this ugly trend.

“The roles of parents, schools, religious leaders, and the urgent need to curb the increasing rate of ritual killings and other related vices.

“The House is mindful of the role of media as a tool to change this wrong narrative among our youths”, he said.

Adopting the motion, the House called on the Executive Director, National Film and Video Censors Board to rise to the mandate of the agency as the clearing house for all movies produced in the country.

It therefore mandated its Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values ensure compliance of the resolution and report back to the House within weeks.

Source: Reps to FG: Declare national emergency on ritual killings in Nigeria

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Lawmakers blame Nigerian movies for surge in ritual killings, declare national emergency

Teens arrested in Abeokuta, Ogun State over murder of a teenager girl

Published: February 9, 2022
By: Business Hallmark News, Nigeria

Nigeria’s House of Representatives on Wednesday declared a national emergency amid rise in cases of ritual killings across the country.

The lawmakers also urged the National Orientation Agency (NOA), stakeholders, and the media to initiate a campaign towards changing the situation in the country.

This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Toby Okechukwu, the deputy minority leader, at the plenary in Abuja, NAN reported.

Presenting the motion, Mr Okechukwu said that incidents of ritual killings had assumed an alarming rate in Nigeria while decrying the upsurge of reported ritual killings, and abductions in different parts of the country.

He blamed the increase on Nollywood, the country’s movie industry, arguing that younger generations may see ritual killing as a norm.

“Ritual killing had become a predominant theme in most homemade movies which if not checked, our younger generation may begin to view it as an acceptable norm,” he said.

Mr Okechukwu added that in most cases, the culprits also rape, maim, kill and cut out sensitive body parts of unsuspecting victims for rituals.

Citing the killing of Iniobong Umoren in Akwa Ibom and the recent incident of 21-year-old Sofiat Kehinde who was killed and had her head burnt in a local pot in Abeokuta, Ogun, the lawmaker said the news triggered condemnation considering the age of the suspected killers.

The House thereafter charged the Inspector General of Police to take urgent steps towards tacking ritual killings in the country.

The lawmakers also tasked the Executive Director, National Film and Video Censors Board to rise to the mandate of the agency as the clearing house for all movies produced in the country.

Source: Lawmakers blame Nigerian movies for surge in ritual killings, declare national emergency

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Reps ask Buhari to declare national emergency over ritual killings

Published: February 9, 2022
By: Ochogwu Sunday – Daily Post, Nigeria

The House of Representatives on Wednesday called on the Federal Government to declare a national emergency on ritual killings across the country.

The development followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Toby Okechukwu, the Deputy Minority Leader, at the plenary on Wednesday in Abuja.

Presenting the motion, Okechukwu said incidents of ritual killings had assumed an alarming rate in Nigeria while decrying the upsurge of reported ritual killings with increasing cases of abductions and missing persons in different parts of the country.

He added that in most cases, the culprits also rape, maim, kill and cut out sensitive body parts of unsuspecting victims for rituals.

He said the Red Cross Society in 2017 said it received 10,480 reports of missing persons in Nigeria.

“On January 22, three teenage suspects and a 21-year-old reportedly killed one Sofiat Kehinde, severed her head and burnt it in a local pot in Abeokuta, Ogun.

”The police command in Ogun on Feb. 7, reported that one of the suspects confessed that he learned the act of ritual killing from a video he watched on Facebook,” he stated.

He said the death of Sofiat attracted national outrage and condemnation considering the age of the suspected killers.

The lawmaker said merchants of such wicked acts often use social media as a tool to advertise their evil acts.

He also mentioned the grievous killing of Iniobong Umoren, a young woman in her 20s, who was lured to a particular location in Uyo, Akwa Ibom for a job interview, as widely reported in the national dailies.

He also cited the gruesome killings and heinous activities of Badoo Boys in Lagos State, which was also reported in the national dailies.

“Ritual killing had become a predominant theme in most homemade movies which if not checked, our younger generation may begin to view it as an acceptable norm,” he said.

The House thereafter declared a national emergency on ritual killings and urged the National Orientation Agency (NOA), stakeholders and the media to initiate a campaign towards changing the situation in the country.

The House tasked the Executive Director, National Film and Video Censors Board to rise to the mandate of the agency as the clearinghouse for all movies produced in the country.

DAILY POST reports that ritual killing has recently become a trend across the country as videos clips of such activities involving adults and even teenagers continue to emerge online.

Source: Reps ask Buhari to declare national emergency over ritual killings

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Declare emergency on ritual killings, Reps tell FG

Published: February 10, 2022
By: Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja – The Sun, Nigeria

House of Representatives, yesterday, called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba Aikali, to step up intelligence, with a view to arrest and prosecute ritual killers across the country.

The House, which also called on the government to declare a national emergency on ritual killings, urged the National Orientation Agency, parents, heads of schools, religious leaders and the media to undertake a campaign against the menace.

Similarly, the Green Chamber charged the National Film and Video Censors Board to rise to its mandate as the clearing house for all movies produced in the country.

This followed the adoption of a motion by the Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu, on the “need to curb the rising trend of ritual killings in the country.”

Okechukwu, while leading debate on the motion, said ritual killings have assumed an alarming rate in recent times. He said there have been an upsurge of reported cases of ritual killings with increasing cases of abductions and missing persons in different parts of the country.

According to him, in most cases, the culprits rape, maim, kill and obtain sensitive body parts of unsuspecting victims for rituals.

“The Red Cross Society in 2017 reported that it received 10,480 reports of missing persons in Nigeria. On January 22, 2022, three teenage suspects and a 20-year-old reportedly killed one Sofiat Kehinde, severed her head and burnt the head in a local pot in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

“Ogun State Police Command on Monday, February 7, reported that one of the suspects confessed he learned the act of ritual killing from a video he watched on Facebook. 

“Sofiat’s death has attracted national outrage and condemnation considering the ages of her killers,” he said.

He said it is worrisome that while youths in other climes are embracing science and technology, Nigerian youths “seem stuck in the mistaken belief that sacrificing human blood is the surest route to wealth, safety and protection.”

Okechukwu expressed dismay that ritual killings have “become a predominant theme in most home made movies,” and warned that if it is not checked, the younger generation may begin to see it as an acceptable norm.

He said a lot needs to be done by the police, other law enforcement agencies, as well as parents, religious institutions and schools to check the ugly development.

Source: Declare emergency on ritual killings, Reps tell FG

More:

Reps declare national emergency on ritual killings in Nigeria

Published: February 9, 2022
By: Bakare Majeeb – Premium Times, Nigeria

The House noted that while citizens of other countries are embracing science and technology, Nigerian youths are turning to ritual killings.

The House of Representatives has resolved to declare a national emergency on ritual killings in Nigeria.

It asked the National Orientation Agency (NOA), stakeholders and the media to initiate a campaign towards changing the situation in the country.

It also asked the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali, to take urgent steps towards tackling ritual killings in the country.

This followed a motion by the Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Toby Okechukwu (Enugu, PDP), who raised alarm over the surge in ritual related killings across the country.

Mr Okechukwu, in the motion of urgent public importance he moved on Wednesday, blamed Nigerian movies, popularly known as Nollywood, for the rising cases of ritual killings.

According to Mr Okechuckwu, while citizens of other countries are embracing science and technology, Nigerian youths are turning to ritual killings.

“While youths in other climes are embracing science and technology as a way of maintaining pace with our dynamic world, some of our youths seem stuck in the mistaken belief that sacrificing human blood is the surest route to wealth, safety and protection,” he said

Mr Okechukwu added that “ritual killing has become a predominant theme in most homemade movies which if not checked, our younger generation may begin to view it as an acceptable norm.

The killing of Sofia Kehinde 

He drew the attention of the House to the gruesome killing of me Sofiat Kehinde in Ogun State by some three teenagers in January for ritual related act sparked conversation on ritual.

Mr Okechukwu also condemned the use of social media “as a ready tool to advertise their evil behaviours.”

He also accused fake clerics, imams, herbalists and native doctors of being involved in promoting the get-rich-quick syndrome.

Following the presentation of the motion, the House resolved to declare a national emergency on ritual killings in Nigeria and called on National Orientation Agency, parents, heads of schools, religious leaders and the media to undertake a campaign to change the negative narrative that is bedevilling the society.

Also, it called on the Executive Director, National Film and Video Censors Board to rise to the mandate of the agency as the clearing house for all movies produced in the country.

It, therefore, mandated the House Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values to ensure the agency complies with the directive and report back to the House within four weeks.

Furthermore, the House called on the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Akali, to take urgent steps to increase surveillance and intelligence gathering with a view to apprehending and prosecuting all perpetrators of ritual killings in Nigeria.

It asked the House Committee on Police Affairs to ensure the compliance of the force and report back to the House within four weeks.

Source: Reps declare national emergency on ritual killings in Nigeria

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Reps blame Nigerian movies for surge in ritual killings; call for national emergency

House of Representatives, [PHOTO CREDIT: Official Twitter handle of Reps NGR]

Published: February 9, 2022
By: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) – Peoples Gazette

The Nigerian lower legislative chamber attributed the increase in ritual killings to home videos depicting the gruesome acts in their productions.

The House of Representatives on Wednesday declared a national emergency following the rise in cases of ritual killings across Nigeria.

It also urged the National Orientation Agency (NOA), stakeholders, and the media to initiate a campaign towards changing the situation in the country.

This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Toby Okechukwu, the deputy minority leader, at the plenary in Abuja.

Presenting the motion, Mr Okechukwu said that incidents of ritual killings had assumed an alarming rate in Nigeria while decrying the upsurge of reported ritual killings, and abductions in different parts of the country.

He also attributed the increase in ritual killings to home videos in Nigeria, arguing that younger generations may see ritual killing as a norm.

“Ritual killing had become a predominant theme in most homemade movies which if not checked, our younger generation may begin to view it as an acceptable norm,” he said.

Mr Okechukwu added that in most cases, the culprits also rape, maim, kill and cut out sensitive body parts of unsuspecting victims for rituals.

Citing the killing of Iniobong Umoren in Akwa Ibom and the recent incident of 21-year-old Sofiat Kehinde who was killed and had her head burnt in a local pot in Abeokuta, Ogun, the lawmaker said the news triggered condemnation considering the age of the suspected killers.

The House thereafter charged the Inspector General of Police to take urgent steps towards tacking ritual killings in the country.

The lower chamber also tasked the Executive Director, National Film and Video Censors Board to rise to the mandate of the agency as the clearing house for all movies produced in the country.

(NAN)

Source: Reps blame Nigerian movies for surge in ritual killings; call for national emergency

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