BY RITA OYIBOKA/AMAYINDI YAKUBU
Every true Nigerian remembers the golden age of Nollywood, the days when children peeked through neighbors’ windows, captivated by wild, cautionary tales of greed and desperation.
Legends like Pete Edochie, Kanayo O. Kanayo, and Tony Umez dominated the screen, performing unthinkable rituals in their ruthless pursuit of wealth.
But today, these tales of horror aren’t just confined to our screens, they’re spilling into real life.
Recently, a chilling video surfaced of a suspected ritualist named Alex, who was arrested after trapping a woman in an Abuja hotel room. The nightmare began when Olivia Chukwuemeka’s frantic screams alerted hotel staff, leading to her dramatic rescue by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The incident involved 30-year-old Joseph Efe from Edo and Ondo States, who met Olivia on a hookup site known as “coded site.” Little did Olivia know that her casual encounter would spiral into terror. “When I got to the hotel, he asked if I was afraid of death,” she recounted.
Things quickly escalated as Efe threatened her with violence, bound her hands, gagged her, and left her tied to a chair when he couldn’t find money in her account. Her salvation came when she managed to alert hotel staff by banging on the window. They forced entry, finding Olivia visibly traumatized.
Efe, identified by witnesses as a notorious Yahoo boy, tried to defend himself, claiming, “I didn’t kill her,” only to face the wrath of onlookers. NSCDC’s FCT Command confirmed that Efe confessed to being an internet fraudster who turned to luring women into hotel rooms after struggling to make money online. Before Olivia, he had targeted another woman but failed due to hotel staff intervention. His arrest marked the end of his spree, with NSCDC operatives nabbing him during a suspicious escape attempt.
While investigations have determined that Efe’s crime was motivated by theft rather than rituals, the incident has stirred public outrage, reigniting fears of ritual killings, especially in hotels.
Ritual Killings: Nigeria’s Grim Reality
Ritual killings have a long, unsettling history in Nigeria, with the infamous Otokoto saga marking a grim turning point in 1996. In that shocking case, 11-year-old Anthony Okoronkwo was lured to the Otokoto Hotel in Imo State, only to be murdered and have his vital organs removed before being buried in a shallow grave. Fast forward 26 years, and this horrifying trend is re-emerging as a sinister norm.
It’s brainwracking to contemplate how a struggling herbalist can magically transform human organs into wealth but people believe it and are actually shedding human blood to that end. The recent arrest of two teenagers in Edo State seeking help for their wealth quest from a local herbalist highlights this absurdity.
But they’re not isolated cases; just recently, a group of young men stormed a health center in Ado-Ekiti, demanding day-old babies. What on earth could they possibly want with infants? The chilling truth is that they likely belong to a growing faction of murderers targeting the vulnerable for ritual sacrifices.
These so-called headhunters will stop at nothing to procure body parts for their grotesque money-making schemes.
In a particularly shocking incident, police discovered three human heads stored in a hotel room in Onitsha, Anambra State, leading to the arrest of 11 suspects. Yet, like many similar cases, it quickly vanished from the headlines.
Not long ago, four individuals were apprehended in Niger State for allegedly murdering a 13-year-old boy, dismembering him for ritualistic purposes.
In bustling cities like Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, and Kano, ritual murders have become disturbingly common, contributing significantly to the ever-growing number of missing persons.
Illiteracy fuels this madness; despite its lack of logic, many people still believe that committing these atrocities will grant them “instant wealth” or “blood money.” Yet, there’s no credible evidence linking human sacrifices to actual financial success except perhaps in the realm of Nollywood dramas. Ultimately, the grim reality is that ritual killings stem from a dangerous mix of ignorance and desperation, leaving countless victims in their wake.
Law Versus Ritual Killings: Any Results?
In 2022, Nigeria’s House of Representatives called on the federal government to declare a state of emergency on the surge of ritual killings.
Prompted by a motion from Deputy Minority Leader Toby Okechukwu, the lawmakers urged the Inspector General of Police to ramp up surveillance and intelligence to catch and prosecute perpetrators.
They also directed the National Orientation Agency to launch a campaign to change the public’s mindset about this grisly trend. Yet, this call for action is hardly groundbreaking.
In Nigeria, political and civil society leaders frequently demand state intervention over various crises: banditry in the north, herder attacks in the Middle Belt, rampant kidnappings, a failing education sector, and nationwide insecurity.
For most Nigerians, these declarations have become empty gestures, overshadowed by inaction and broken promises. Ritual killings, disturbingly, are not just a crime of desperate adults but have infiltrated teenage behavior. The roots of this horror run deep, tangled in culture, superstition, and the relentless pursuit of wealth.
Okechukwu’s motion suggests that Nollywood, Nigeria’s prolific movie industry, bears some blame for glamorizing ritual killings, influencing impressionable minds. But this theory only scratches the surface.
Ritual killings cut across age, education, and class, revealing a troubling cultural resilience. Even politicians, supposedly modern and educated, often visit shrines to swear oaths and seek supernatural protection, as seen in the notorious Okija shrine scandal of 2004, where scores of corpses and evidence of politicians’ involvement were uncovered.
These killings are just one grotesque symptom of Nigeria’s broader climate of violence: rampant banditry, a rise in vigilantism, unchecked police brutality, and the pervasive fear of crime.
The government’s $2.3 billion security budget in 2022 has done little to stem the tide, as public trust continues to erode. For many Nigerians, especially the youth facing a future with few prospects, the allure of quick riches through any means even through bloodshed has become a desperate gamble in a rigged game.
Conversations With “Ritual Money” Makers
To understand the secretive world of money rituals, our correspondent plunged into the dark corners of the internet, where an array of public and private groups and accounts promise unimaginable wealth through rituals.
From modest promises of quick cash to outrageous offers of millions with strings attached, these digital shamans and spiritual figures offer a glimpse into a world where ancient beliefs meet modern greed.
Some accounts assured potential clients that their rituals required no blood sacrifices, just a ‘willing heart.’ Others even promised this magical wealth before compensation, while some presented chilling conditions: one account promised a staggering $750 million but warned that the receiver would live only fifteen more years.
Posing as a desperate 23 year old sales boy, Richard Ezekwu seeking financial breakthrough, our correspondent reached out to some of these self-styled purveyors of instant riches.
The first point of contact was High spirit man, a shaman from Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State, who confidently introduced his operation as the ‘Arab Money Family.’
What was particularly interesting about his page was a group of men lauding him for having blessed them with N3.5 million in just one night.
Responding to our correspondent’s message, he noted that if they were ready, the ritual would commence immediately and all they had to do was make payment.
He outlined his requirement confidently: a one-time payment of N200,000 for the ritual setup. “You’ll start receiving weekly cash alerts of N3 million,” he proclaimed.
When our correspondent questioned the legitimacy of the ritual and whether it wasn’t just a scam, the shaman’s demeanor shifted sharply. Irritated, he snapped, “I don’t waste my powers on doubters. Only serious people, ready and worthy of my money-making rituals, should come to me. If you’re not ready to believe, then you’re not ready to receive.”
The next encounter was with Eze Zaki, who calls himself ‘The King of Cash.’ Operating from Imo, Owerri State, his bold promises of quick, effortless wealth have earned him a loyal following. When our correspondent first reached out, Eze’s response was curt and direct: “Tell me your name, where you are from, your age, and what you want quickly, don’t waste my time.”
Our correspondent explained that he was tired of struggling and wanted a way out. “Money is a spirit, and I know how to control it,” Eze replied confidently. “You don’t need to kill anyone or shed blood. All I need from you is a N15,000 commitment fee.”
The correspondent, maintaining his cover, explained that he earned just N20,000 a month and couldn’t afford the fee. Eze was unmoved, instructing him to return at the end of the month when he had his salary: “Message me back when you get paid and do the needful.”
The next stop was Alhaji Sule from Kano whose approach is built on the notion that money begets money, a sentiment he repeatedly emphasized: “Did you know that in this life, we use money to make money? Even a small amount can change your life.”
He then proceeded to bombard our correspondent with “evidence” of his so-called successes, videos of bundles of naira notes spread across beds, accompanied by voices of various men praising him for transforming their financial lives.
Sule proceeded to ask how much money was desired and presented a “menu” of options: “I prepare money grade by grade. N500,000. N700,000. 1 million. 2 million. 3 million. 4 million. 5 million. Choose the amount you want to receive every two weeks.”
The correspondent chose 4 million naira, prompting him to ask if he had a bank account capable of handling such sums. “Yes Sir. I have upgraded my account hoping for miracles, but nothing yet,” he responded.
Alhaji Sule’s next move was to send a disturbing image of ritualistic items, a dead squirrel or rabbit, snail shells, and other bizarre-looking objects. He claimed these were essential for the ritual, explaining that they were rare and could only be found near his location. The cost to acquire them was set at N45,500, with no room for negotiation: “You won’t be able to recognize or find these materials; only I can get them for you, and the price is fixed.”
Diving deep into this online rabbit hole raises questions about the legitimacy of money-making rituals. Do these practices really work, or are these self-proclaimed shamans just skilled con artists exploiting desperate souls?
What’s undeniable is the massive following these “ritualists” have, primarily young, impressionable men lured by the promise of quick wealth.
This phenomenon is not just an abstract concern; it has real-life consequences. In 2022, four teenage boys were arrested in Ogun State for murdering a 22-year-old girl after watching a Facebook video that allegedly detailed how to use human body parts for wealth rituals.
The case sent shockwaves through the country, highlighting the dark side of these so-called money-making practices.
But it’s not only about those who perpetrate these acts and those who enable them; what about the victims?
A Close Call: My Boyfriend Threatened To Murder Me – Brenda
In an interview, a student at the University of Benin, who only identified as Brenda, recounted her unsettling experience dating a man she suspected of engaging in such rituals.
According to her: “I was dating this guy who was into Yahoo Yahoo (internet fraud). He wasn’t rich, but he was getting by, comfortable in his self-contained apartment. Suddenly, in just one month, he bought a car, an iPhone 14 Pro Max, and rented a three-bedroom flat.
“I was happy for him, thinking his hustle finally paid off. But the first time I visited his new place, everything felt off. He had just returned from his village, supposedly after attending his uncle’s burial, but I noticed strange razor marks on his shoulder that I’d never seen before.
“When I asked, he just smiled and brushed it off. He became paranoid, snapping at me whenever I touched anything in his house, asking why I was ‘searching’ his things. Then, out of nowhere, he said, ‘If I kill you in this house, no one would know.’
“I was stunned, but I laughed it off and told him my sister knew I was there, though it was a lie. I even pretended to show him a chat with my sister to back it up. He didn’t seem convinced, but it made him reconsider.
“I couldn’t sleep that night. I lay awake, heart racing, clutching my phone, and thinking about how easily things could go wrong. The next morning, I left and blocked his number. I haven’t spoken to him since.
“I can’t say for sure what his intentions were, but women need to be careful. Not every man is what he seems.”
Money Rituals Unproven But Safety Necessary – Dibie
Public commentator, Mr. Chuks Dibie weighed in, saying, “Desperate people take desperate measures, but I’ve never seen proof that ritual killings work, it’s all superstition. However, the rise in killings in Nigeria is alarming.
“Ladies, be mindful of the taxis you take in certain cities. If a keke or okada is available, take it instead of a taxi. And don’t use the same driver all the time. If he’s approached by someone looking for a girl for rituals, you become an easy target because you’ve already built trust.”
Safety is important but it’s also necessary to explore how we got here.
Children Now Breadwinners, Parents, Wealth Glorifiers – Amb. Uche
In an interview with Amb. Tina Uche, Chairperson of the Delta-based NGO, Family Values Renaissance and Empowerment Initiative, she lamented the rise of ritual killings among youths, describing it as a tragic symptom of deeper societal failures.
According to her, “Family values have eroded significantly, and the pursuit of wealth has overshadowed moral upbringing. Many young people grow up in homes where material success is glorified above all else. In the past, parents and older siblings would scrutinize the things we brought home, but today, if a 16-year-old buys their parents cars and houses, it’s celebrated. Some parents even mock those whose children haven’t done the same.
“Most of these young girls who fall victim to ritual killings are often breadwinners or come from dysfunctional families where no one questions their comings and goings. At night, you’ll see them lining the streets, many are trying to pay their tuition, support their siblings, or even their parents. It’s not uncommon for them to live alone, which was rare back in the day when young women typically stayed with family until marriage.”
Amb. Uche emphasized the importance of education and awareness in combating ritual killings among youths.
She advocates for reintroducing value-based education that focuses on integrity and hard work, along with collaboration among NGOs, religious organizations, and community leaders to provide safe spaces for young people to express their frustrations.
Additionally, she calls for stricter regulation of online content that glorifies crime and suggests family workshops to help rebuild moral values at home.
Ritual Killing: Mix of desperation, low self-esteem, societal pressure- Ben-Ekechukwu
Clinical Psychologist, Nnenne Ben-Ekechukwu also shed light on the psychological factors driving young people to engage in ritual killings, pointing to a toxic mix of desperation, low self-esteem, and societal pressure to succeed. She said: “Many youths feel disillusioned by a lack of opportunities and a failing system. When legitimate paths seem blocked, they turn to dark, irrational beliefs that rituals offer a shortcut to wealth. This behavior is often reinforced by cognitive biases, they see a few who appear to gain wealth through dubious means and think they can replicate it.”
She highlighted how ritualists even self-proclaimed ckerics manipulate these youths psychologically. “Ritualists and some alleged men of God prey on vulnerability, using manipulation to claim spiritual insight into their victim’s problems, convincing them they hold the key to financial success. While some do in their diabolical ways, many do not
“Meanwhile, money rituals are no longer hidden; there used to be a stigma, but now people flaunt it. Some women are dating men with no legitimate income, fully aware that even the fraud they claim to do is just a front. Women should be careful. Men should be cautious too in the pursues of wealth not to put their hand in things that will ruin them.”
On the solution, Ben-Ekechuwu recommended, “Early intervention is crucial. Counseling, and mentorship programs can guide at-risk youths towards better choices. There should be more skill acquisition vocational training and empowerment programs targeted towards young men.”
Ritual Killings: Some Fake Pastors, Imams Complicit – Ekpo
Pastor Edikan Ekpo of Living Faith Church in Port Harcourt also weighed in, noting that the surge in ritual killings is a sign of society losing its moral compass.
“The Bible teaches that the love of money is the root of all evil, and we see this manifest in ritual killings. Many youths have lost their way, chasing fleeting riches instead of focusing on spiritual growth and moral integrity.
“Tragically, some so-called religious leaders are complicit, twisting religious teachings for personal gain. Fake pastors, imams, and traditional priests exploit young people’s desperation, offering ‘spiritual solutions’ involving evil practices,” he said
Pastor Ekpo emphasized the church’s role in reversing the trend. “The church must be proactive, preaching against the get-rich-quick mentality and promoting patience, hard work, and faith in God’s timing. We are launching youth empowerment programs to teach skills, provide mentorship, and offer counseling. The church should be a sanctuary where young people find hope and guidance, steering them away from these destructive paths.”
