The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, Telu I, has charged the southwest governors to ensure that the Southwest Security Network, otherwise known as Amotekun, is also made to fight ritual killings and “traditional corruptions.”
Describing traditional corruption, especially ritual killings, as rampant in the Southwest, Oba Akanbi expressed concern about the daily reported cases of killing of humans for rituals.
The first class traditional ruler advised that fighting ritual killings should be in the scope of operations of the security outfit.
In a statement by his press secretary, Ali Ibrahim, the paramount ruler said ritual killing is deadlier and more recurrent than herdsmen’s heinous activities. The Oluwo, who drew the attention of the Yoruba stakeholders to the menace of ritual killings, insisted that the politicians should be held responsible for trading their game with kidnapping.
He expressed disappointment that no one is talking about how to curtail ritual killings in the ongoing support for Amotekun.
“I am not condemning Amotekun but I am talking about better direction of job specification and scope of roles for the regional security outfit. Amotekun’s oversight functions should be streamlined to solve fundamental challenges facing us. It is disheartening that we misplace our priority.”
Oluwo added: “Just imagine, an innocent university final year student was killed in Ikoyi-Ile few weeks ago, out of ignorance that a spirit will bring money. It is poverty of the mind that could make someone be so gullible. Now, the child is gone. What a wicked act. What we are doing as a people to curtail such acts must be important to us. So, we need an institution that will allay fears against such an act.
“Additionally, to fight traditional corruption, we need agents of unquestionable characters and not accomplice of ritual killers. We need a transparent institution that will lead us out of daily killing of our children for money, promotion, popularity and so on.”
The Oluwo implored Nigerians, especially herbalists, pastors and alfas, to imbibe new approaches to offering sacrifices such as beautifying public places and economic empowerment programmes for the vulnerable in the society, among others, noting that “these are rewarding, promotional and more naturally acceptable than killing fellow humans for ritual.”