An Abuja-based media practitioner and Publisher of Green Savannah Diplomatic Cable, Mr Sunday Oyinloye, has called on the Federal Government and other stakeholders in the country to, as a matter of urgency, address the problem of ritual killings in the country.
Addressing the media on Monday in Abuja, Oyinloye regretted that cases of killing of girls for money rituals is on the increase in the country because government at the three-tiers and other stakeholders have failed to address the issue.
According to him, many youths in the country have since abandoned the right ways to wealth reaction to embrace ritual killings which he noted is gradually becoming a norm in Nigeria.
Oyinloye, who started the campaign against killing of girls for money rituals on January 2022, however lamented that it has been a solo journey for three years but said that running the campaign without support would not discourage him.
He said, “When my organisation started this campaign in 2022 and released a jingle, the then Minister of Information, Mr Lai Mohammed, said the Federal Government would embark on massive enlightenment campaign against ritual killings, but up till now, nothing has been done about it by the Federal Government, rather I have been fighting this course alone.
“Our image as a country is at stake, this is why I have taken it upon myself to translate the jingles I initially produced in English into the three major Nigerian languages. And for the campaign to get to the grassroots, we have started airing the jingles on radio.”
He argued that if killing of girls for money rituals must end in Nigeria, traditional rulers in the country must speak out and add their voices against the evil practice.
”Traditional rulers and religious leaders can no longer watch as Nigerian girls are being slaughtered like animals by some youths who are not ready to embrace legitimate means of livelihood,” he said.
Oyinloye commended the Emir of Ilorin, Dr Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, for being the first traditional ruler in Nigeria to give a directive against ritual killings in the country and appealed to other royal fathers to also speak out against the evil which has tarnished the image of Nigeria.
“The Emir of Ilorin has written his name in gold for not only speaking boldly against ritual killings but for also giving a directive to Imams in the state to preach against ritual killings in their Friday sermons. If other traditional rulers in the country follow this exemplary step, the evil called ritual killings will be eradicated.
“This directive given by the Emir of Ilorin that Imams should preach against ritual killings in their Friday sermons will further encourage me to fight for the protection of Nigerian girls who are mostly the victims of ritual killings,” he said.
He, nonetheless, counseled Nigerian youths to shun the temptation of looking for money at all cost adding that they should embrace hard work and think outside the box and do legitimate businesses.
“It is unfortunate that some of our girls are being killed and their body parts being sold at ridiculous prices. It is insane and devilish to take another person’s life in the name of making money which will not even come.
“Why on earth should a man take another person’s life for money rituals when there are business opportunities everywhere? Even if there are no business opportunities, it is not right to take another person’s life. I am appealing to our youths in the country to stop this evil practice and embrace hard work. No one should cause sorrow for any family simply because he wants to make money,” he said.
To end the problem of ritual killings in Nigeria, Oyinloye recommended death penalty without option of jail terms for any established case of ritual killing.
The media executive commended the Nigerian Police for doing a good job on issues of ritual killings stressing that they need the support of all Nigerians to succeed.
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