Many Nigerians have identified insatiable appetite for power and poverty as major reasons ritual killings and other crimes have become prevalent in Nigeria.
Sad tales of killings to get rich quick have made headlines for a long time in Nigeria, especially around election periods, with many linking the growing devilish trend to the desperation of evil men to make quick money to settle political and other bills.
The latest news is about the use of female underwears for rituals, which has led to social media posts and warnings to ladies to keep their underwears safe.
A young woman, who identified herself simply as Ebere said, in the Niger Delta currently, one could hardly see a young woman who would wear pants because “we are afraid of all this Yahoo boys, who want to use our pants for money ritual. Female pants are no longer selling in the whole of Niger Delta.”
SAD TALES ACROSS STATES
The case of Clifford Orji who was feigning madness at Toyota Bus stop, Oshodi, Lagos, is still fresh several years after.
It was also reported that an 18-year-old man, Samuel Akpobome, killed his mother, Christiana Igboyivwi, at Market Road, Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State. Akpobome said a native doctor told him to kill his mother after which he should sleep with her so that he would be rich. The last child of the deceased said his mother had never done him any wrong but he had to kill her so that he would become rich.
Akpobome told the police in Benin, “I wanted to use her for money rituals. I strangled her at about 5am. I was advised by a native doctor at Oghara to kill her and have carnal knowledge of her. He told me to sleep with the corpse for two days.”
In Ibadan, Oyo State, four suspects were arrested by policemen for killing a man, Akintoye Oyeyemi. One of the suspects, Tunde Jimoh, told the police, “I deal in cashew business. My brother’s friend called me that he would pay N10million for a business. My friend said we should kidnap him and rob him of the money and I agreed.
“He later called us that he was coming from Ajese. We kidnapped him, took him to Igbo nla (a thick forest). I pointed a gun at him. He asked if it was because of the money that we wanted to kill him. He dropped the bag with him and began to run. I shot him dead. We only saw N100,000 and clothes inside the bag. I told my friend that we should chop off his vital parts and sell to one Alfa. Alfa told us to throw his head away but use alcohol to preserve the heart, wrists and legs. That was when the Police came to arrest us.”
In Ondo State, three people were also arrested for alleged ritual killings. The suspects, John Adenitire, Fisayo Fashanu and Abdulrafiu, killed three students for money making ritual.
Adenitire had said, “We also killed three students of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo in Ondo State. We cut off their breasts and sold them for N15million. A cleric said he would pay us N15m but he has not paid. We have killed three girls, removed their breasts and buried their bodies in the bush.”
At Ikorodu, Lagos State, decomposing bodies of two females were found at Atele Street, Anibaba community. Their breasts and private parts were said to have been chopped off.
Also at Funtua, Katsina State, the body of a woman was found with her breasts, eyes and private parts removed.
In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the remains of a woman was found where it was dumped. Her stomach was ripped open. Her intestine and heart were said to be missing when the corpse was seen.
Also, the people of Oke- Egbe, Ikare-Akoko, Ondo State, were recently shocked to see two septugenarians hacked to death. Their vital organs were reported to be missing when their remains were sighted.
NIGERIANS REACT
Condemning the act, the Founder, Serve God Church, Lagos, Pastor Emmanuel Chineme, urged Nigerians to be careful about those who they interact with because ritualists cannot be easily identified.
Chineme said, “I don’t know why somebody would kill another person because of money. The craze for worldly things have pushed many Nigerians into different kinds of crime. Why should someone take another person’s life because of money? Why should you use human parts to make money? It is evil; it emanates from a wicked mind.
“Such people are going to suffer in the long run. God created us in his own image and you are bold enough to kill innocent people because you want to make money? You are going to hell fire. I want to advise those who are into such evil acts to stop it now. Pray that God should forgive you for the crime you have committed. I heard of some people who called themselves men of God involving themselves in such dastardly act.
“You want to make money using God’s name and practising evil at the same time? Such pastors who deceive people are worse than those who committed minor sins. Even some of our politicians were said to have hands in ritual killings. It is bad enough; I don’t know what this world is turning to. The craze for money is becoming something else.”
A lawyer, Christopher Njoku said, “Politicians are even the worst. They want power, they want fame, they want money. They want to remain on top. They are ready to pay hoodlums any amount that would make them remain on top. Some of them are involved in money rituals. I want to say that poverty is part of the reasons why people want to go for money rituals. Politics is another.
“Some pastors were said to be involved in money rituals. Why? Such pastors are of the devil. The worse any man can do is to use fellow human beings for ritual. God usually exposes some of the perpetrators. We have been seeing them on television confessing.
“In the Niger Delta, women are afraid to wear underwears. They cannot wear pants because the Yahoo boys can kidnap them and take their pants to their witch doctors. They want to get rich
quick.”
Surprisingly, to a native doctor, Goke Adewunmi, those who engage in such acts should not be associated with.
He said, “I cannot do such a thing; it is very bad for any native doctor to allow himself to be used. As for me, I cannot do such a thing. If somebody tells me that he has human parts and he wants me to use it for money ritual, I would pretend as if I have agreed, but I would invite the police for
his arrest.”
A business woman, Ngozi Chima, also condemned the devilish act in its entirety, saying, “Ritualists are the worst set of people. How can somebody kill a person because of money? Such money is not enjoyable. You are going to suffer for the evil act. Those who want to engage in such act should stop now. Don’t take another person’s life.”
