Metro
Rituals: Single ladies panic as bloodthirsty boyfriends slaughter lovers
Many women are growing increasingly fearful following the rise in cases of boyfriends killing young women for ritual purposes in different states.
The women view the killings as a reflection of societal failure, greed, and cruelty, leaving them feeling unsafe, even in public spaces.
One recent case involved a 25-year-old man, identified simply as Elisha, who was arrested on May 14 for allegedly killing his lover in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Similarly, Christiana Idowu, a female student at the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta, Ogun State, was kidnapped and killed on August 19 by one Ayomide Adeleye, who had previously been accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend in 2018.
Other cases include the August 6 arrest of Fatai Mogaji in Lagos State for allegedly stabbing his ex-girlfriend, Opeyemi Shoyinka, to death, and the chilling murder of 19-year-old Damilola, a student at the Federal University in Lokoja.
Damilola’s killer, 20-year-old Jeremiah Samson, was arrested after dismembering and burying her remains in a shallow grave.
These violent incidents have caused widespread panic, particularly among young women in southwestern Nigeria.
A 22-year-old lady, Adenike Araoye, expressed fear about dating in light of the alarming rise in ritual killings.
“I am single, but I’m terrified of entering a relationship. The news of boys killing their girlfriends is terrifying. Good guys seem rare these days,” she said.
A student at the Osun State University, Mariam Oyebamiji, while speaking on general insecurity in the society, said, “I don’t want anyone to destroy my parents’ joy.”
Another lady, Oluwatobiloba Ajiboye, 30, also shared her concern over how easily women had become targets for ritualists.
She, however, urged women to be vigilant in relationships, pointing out that many relationships were based on deception.
“These killings show that some men never truly loved these women; the relationship was just a cover for their sinister plans,” Ajiboye said.
She also warned that materialism and dating fraudsters, often referred to as Yahoo boys, increased the risks for women.
Ajiboye attributed the rise in ritual killings to the harsh economic climate and societal pressure, which she believed had pushed many young men to seek quick wealth through deadly means.
Also, a journalist, Nafisat Oyedele, lamented society’s disappointing reaction to femicide, often blaming the victims instead of addressing the root cause.
“It’s heartbreaking to see so many femicide cases in Nigeria, yet society blames the victims. Girls are told to stay home, but even at home, they aren’t always safe. Many are killed by people close to them,” Oyedele said.
An activist, Titilope Adako, identified the killings as a form of gender-based violence.
She explained that some perpetrators enter relationships with the intent of using their partners for rituals.
Adako said, “The fact that intimate partners, who should offer love and support, are committing these brutal acts is a clear sign of societal failure.”
She also pointed out that the crimes were fueled by a toxic mix of superstition, desperation, and ignorance.
She explained that the belief that human sacrifice leads to wealth, combined with a lack of effective law enforcement, creates an environment where violence is normalised and criminals feel emboldened.
Adako added, “The lack of remorse shown by some of these killers highlights the severity of the issue.”
By Francesca Hangeior
A 45-year-old man, simply identified as Kazeem, has drowned in a river at Odo Tente, a boundary community between Lagos and Ogun States.
It was gathered that the incident occurred on Friday around 11 am.
Before the incident, Kazeem was said to have taken a hard drug suspected to be Colorado.
The deceased, who soon started to act under the influence of the drug, reportedly ran uncontrollably and jumped into the river.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, while confirming the incident in a statement on Sunday, stated that he drowned in the process.
The statement read, “On 11/10/2024 at about 11 am, a complainant reported at Alagbado Division that one Kazeem, ‘M’ aged 45, under the influence of a hard drug suspected to be Colorado, ran uncontrollably and jumped into a river at Odo Tente boundary between Lagos and Ogun State.
Sequel to this, the victim drowned and died.”
Hundeyin further stated that detectives from the Alagbado Division visited the scene and took photographs of the deceased.
The police spokesman added that the father of the deceased, when contacted, directed that the corpse be buried immediately by the riverside according to their tradition.
He, however, noted that the police had commenced an investigation into the incident.
In a bold move to tackle crime, the Imo State Police Command has dismantled a suspected kidnapping and organ trafficking syndicate, arresting one suspect and rescuing a 19-year-old girl.
The successful operation took place on October 10, 2024, at Douglas area in Owerri Municipal Council of Imo State.
ASP Okoye Henry, Police Public Relations Officer, who confirmed the arrest, on Saturday, explained that the kidnappers were intercepted while transporting the abducted girl to an undisclosed location in their vehicle.
He said: “The arrest followed the swift response of vigilant operatives on visibility patrol, who observed the syndicate in a blue and white bus forcefully taking the young girl to an undisclosed location where they intended to kill her and harvest her organs.”
The police engaged in a hot pursuit, leading to the abandonment of the vehicle and the arrest of 38-year-old Justine Emmanuel, while others escaped into the nearby bush.
In another breakthrough, operatives of the Owerri Urban Area Command arrested one Mrs. Blessing Emmanuel, a secondary school teacher, for allegedly dehumanizing her 12-year-old stepdaughter, Amarachi Emmanuel.
The arrest occurred on Tuesday after a complaint was filed by Owerri-based activist journalist Chidiebube Okeoma.
Okoye urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities.
“The Imo State Police Command is committed to combating violent crime and ensuring community safety,” he said.
Adeleke Adeyinka, a councillorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, was brutally murdered on Saturday afternoon by unknown assailants along Osoba Way, in Abeokuta, the state capital.
The former youth leader of Ward 15 in Abeokuta South was reportedly shot and stoned to death by his attackers, who fled the scene in an unregistered vehicle.
The tragic incident has shocked the community, with the APC Youth Leaders Forum condemning the killing and demanding swift justice.
In a joint statement by the Youth Leader of Abeokuta South Local Government, Comrade Kabir Odedairo, and the forum’s State Public Relations Officer, Comrade Timothy Odedina, the group described the killing as senseless and horrific.
The statement read in part, “We strongly condemn this senseless and horrific act, which has left our community shaken and grieving.
The fact that Adeleke was shot and stoned to death by unknown assailants in a tinted car is particularly disturbing and warrants immediate attention from law enforcement agencies.”
The forum called on security agencies to investigate the killing and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice. They also urged the police to enhance security in the area to prevent further violence.
The Ogun State Police Command confirmed the incident, stating that the attackers, suspected to be cultists, arrived in an unregistered Toyota Corolla and opened fire on 40-year-old Adeleke before fleeing the scene.
The community and APC members are mourning the loss of a promising leader, and the forum has called for increased security measures in Abeokuta to ensure the safety of residents.
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