Ritual killings: Stakeholders blame get-rich-quick syndrome 

Some stakeholders including Police Commands in Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu States have attributed the recent rise in ritual killings to the “get-rich-quick syndrome” among the youth in the South East.

BRANDECONOMY reports that ritual killings among the youth and other crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping and cultism have ravaged the zone recently.

These prompted some state governments to establish private security outfits to complement efforts of security agencies in tackling insecurity in the country.

In Anambra, Gov Charles Soludo inaugurated the “Homeland Security Law,” and joint security force such as operations “Udogachi and Agunechemba” to tackle the security challenges in the state.

The police and other security agencies and citizens are also collaborating to reclaim the states back from suspected criminals.

SP Tochukwu Ikenga the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state and some residents of Awka spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka, in a survey on the rise of ritual killings in some states of the country.

Ikenga described ritual killings as making human sacrifice (killing of person(s)) for religious, spiritual and superstitious beliefs.

“It is a very disturbing crime, unlike others, because it involves human sacrifice either dead or alive.

“Why ritual killing is high among the youth between the ages of 18 and 40 is because of the current high rate of get-rich-quick syndrome ravaging the society,”.

He said that people engaged in such crime for the purpose of fortification, wealth creation among others.

“It is more like an ideology among persons involved,” Ikenga said.

The PPRO said that the state government and citizens had joined the police and other security agencies in tackling the menace.

According to him, here in Anambra, the state government has established the “Homeland Security Law,” profiling of native doctors in order to monitor their operations.

“The government also established security outfits such as operations Udogachi and Agunechemba to tackle insecurity while the citizens divulge vital information to the police to enable us go after suspected criminals”.

The spokesperson said that many of the suspected criminals lived among the people, therefore the public must know many of them.

“This is why the people must divulge information to the police and other security agencies to act.

“Recently, such information led to the clampdown on some native doctors in the state, who are being investigated.

“If such ritual killing is established against a suspect, it is treated as a murder case,” he said.

Ikenga disclosed that the command was making efforts to put up a chart for ritual killings in the state.

He added that the victims of ritual killings were not limited to youth alone, but also adults, depending on the purpose of the ritual.

The PPRO said that the command was also reaching out to parents and guardians, religious bodies, youth organisations and traditional institutions among others to create forums to guide the youth against vices.

Similarly, Mrs Rachel Yohanna of Davina Care Foundation, Awka, said it was unfortunate that many individuals, especially the youth engaged  in money rituals driven by a quest for quick wealth.

Yohanna identified poverty, unemployment, lack of parental care and peer pressure as some of the reasons driving ritual killings in the society.

She said that young women and children were the major victims of ritual killings because of their perceived vulnerability.

“Get-rich-quick syndrome is prevalent among our youth, who often perceive wealth as a measure of success and status. Some of them want to become rich at all cost because they are from poor background or unemployed.

“Some parents did not also instill value in their children; they grow up and behave anyhow. This phenomenon has led to an increase in ritual killings as individuals seek shortcuts to financial prosperity,” she said.

She urged parents to prioritise their children’s upbringing by teaching them morals, hardwork, societal values and respect for human life, so that when they grow they would never depart from it.

Also speaking, Dr Helen Obi, a lawyer, blamed flashy lifestyle  on social media and the society, especially religious leaders who idolise the wealthy, even when the source of wealth was illegitimate.

“The display of wealth on social media, societal glorification of wealth usually exacerbate these practices, creating a cycle of desperation and moral erosion within communities,” Obi said.

In response to the increasing rate of ritual killings, the state government, under Gov. Chukwuma Soludo, enacted the Anambra State Homeland Security Law 2025, on Jan. 17, to combat criminal activities associated with ritual killings and fraudulent spiritual practices.

According to the governor, the law would address the root causes of crime and restore the state’s reputation for moral integrity.

Sections 20 and 18 (1) (2), of the Homeland Security Law 2025 addressed the issues of ritual killings.

For instance, Section 20 states that “Any person who performs or requires of any person the performance of any rituals involving human parts, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of 25 years without an option of fine.” 

Community leaders have also taken proactive measures by holding security summits and calling for collaboration with security agencies to curb ritual killings.

These concerted efforts by the government and community leaders reflect a strong commitment to addressing and eradicating the menace of ritual killings in Anambra State. 

In Ebonyi, SP Joshua Ukandu, Spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Ebonyi Command, expressed worry over the spate of ritual killings across the country, adding that the menace was of a great concern to the nation.

Ukandu however, noted that there had been no record or report of ritual killings in the state.

He said that the command had been proactive in checkmating other crimes in the state.

“The command have not gotten any report of such crime and have not arrested any one in connection with ritual killings. 

“We hear about the incident, but not in Ebonyi state,” he said.

On the increasing rate of ritual killings across some states, Ukandu blamed it on the eroding moral fabric of the society and the quest to get quick wealth.

According to him, yes, there are laws to deter people from using human being for ritual; you know murder is a capital offence in Nigeria, with sentences ranging from life imprisonment to execution of the offender.

“From the stories all over, women are more vulnerable and likely victims. It is very unfortunate, the crime is rampant among youths because of the quest to get money.

He said that there was the need to integrate traditional rulers in every state of the federation into the system to help tackle the crime.

“We must begin to teach the children good moral livings, I believe that will probably help,” he said.

Also Mr Mathew Unakwe, a legal practitioner in Ebonyi, called for nationwide campaign against such heinous crime in the efforts to build better environment.

Unakwe blamed the security agencies for increasing crime in the society, calling on Nigerians, especially the government to do everything possible to eradicate ritual killings.

“Yes, there are laws prohibiting ritual killings but we are not enforcing them.

“Well, I must tell you, the major cause of the act is the get quick rich syndrome among people,” he stated.

Mr Christopher Okorie, Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Ebonyi, commended the development in Anambra state on the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of such crime, urging other states to support the initiative.

Mr Ignatius Nwankwor, political analyst, said that ritual killings for money making was never new among persons in the country.

Nwankwo called for collaborative efforts among the security agencies, traditional rulers, schools and faith based institutions in checkmating such crime.

The Spokesman for the Police Command in Enugu State, SP Daniel Ndukwe, also said that “there are no ritual killings in Enugu State known to the police.

“We don’t have incidences of ritual killings in Enugu state. I cannot confirm or react to what does not exist in the state.

“It is difficult for me to respond to something that we do not have a record or reported case on.”

Some residents of Nsukka in Nsukka Local Government of Enugu State have also blamed the rise in ritual killings to the get-rich-quick syndrome  due to much recognitions and respect accorded to rich people.

Dr George Akubue, a Lecturer at the Institute of African Studies, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), said that until stakeholders in every community started screening sources of wealth of people especially youths, ritual killings for money making would continue to escalate.

“It’s unfortunate that money has become everything in the society, people no longer ask for somebody’s source of wealth before associating with him or her.

“Some youths are given chieftaincy titles in communities by traditional rulers during festivities simply because they came home with fleet of flash Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) and much money in their pockets, nobody will ask sources of their wealth.

“Everybody knows that all these ritual killings and cutting of human body into parts by the so called Yahoo Yahoo boys are for money making,” he said.

The Don warned that if nothing serious was done to stop the ugly trend, the security challenges in the country would take a new dimension as more youths would join the bandwagon of get-rich-quick syndrome.

Akubue commended Gov. Charles Solido of Anambra State for rising up to the challenge to crack-down on all fake native doctors and pastors in the state and urged other governors in the country to do same in their states before the situation got out of hand.

Also speaking, Mr Samuel Ike, a  Lawyer and Right Activist, expressed concern why these bad boys target young girls for the ritual killings and  urged security agencies to brace up to their responsibilities.

“If nothing urgent is done, time will come when parents would be locking up their daughters in the house for fear of being used for rituals.

“Yes security agencies may be doing their best but their best is not enough; I feel bad when i hear some of these criminals arrested escaped while being detained.

“Security agencies should ensure that all suspects of ritual killingsl face the full weight of the law so as to serve as deterrent to others planning to commit same crime in future.

“Security agencies should from time to time raid beer joints, eateries, recreational parks and hotels to arrest these criminals before they carry out their evil acts.

The activist urged Federal Government to consider as a matter of urgency, to establish a Special Court that would handle all cases of ritual killings.

“If this court is established, it will help to fast track the process of judicial proceeding in the trial of ritual killing suspects.

“it will not fast track judicial process on those standing trial on ritual killings but will also ensure that justice is served on time without much delay,” he said.