In recent times especially as the general elections draw nearer, ritual killing and cultism seem to be the order of the day in Rivers state. GODWIN EGBA reports.
The quest for rich quick syndrome is eating deeper into the Nigerian society. The development is also assuming an alarming proportion due to the gruesome killing of innocent women, young adults of both male and female sexes by heartless wealth-seekers.
Report indicates that the phenomenon is not peculiar to Nigeria alone, but other Africa countries.
In Rivers state, for example, this crime for fame and material wealth is driving the inordinate propensity of some highly-placed individuals in politics, business class and community leaders into despicable fetish practices and other bizarre rituals. These individuals exist in their comfort zones across the oil-rich region.
Anonymous security reports
A cross-section of highly placed placed individuals and top security chiefs who spoke to Blueprint at different intervals said that Rivers state is an epicentre of ritual killing with foot soldiers especially cult groups.
To these ritual killers, the creed, ‘There is dignity in labour’ is a language of the marines. According to anonymous sources, these ritualists are untouchable as they are highly connected in government, therefore protected.
According to a survey on security challenges in Rivers, authoritative police source has revealed that there exists untouchable personalities in politics, among the elite class and communities leaders who are involved in murdering innocent souls for wealth acquisition.
Rivers created in 1967 had always been known for its congenial habitation enjoyed by both indigenes, non-indigenes and foreigners from different countries of the world. It was regarded as one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria and plays host to over 5.6 million people co-existing with strangers scrambling for juicy oil wealth, gas and banking businesses.
Published reports
A Rivers state-based regional newspaper once wrote in its editorial that not every ritual practice leads to physical death. The common ones are those that would appropriate the virtue of the victims for fortune and money rituals done usually through sex.
According to the report, female victims are lured with money to have sex with the unsuspected ritualist(s). Before the victim realises what had happened, she has ‘been used’, according to the popular parlance. In other words, she has lost her virtue rendered useless and empty.
Girls as main victims
Blueprint investigation from dependable sources has it that many of the beautiful girls in campuses and the society at large are no longer real and complete daughters of their parents. They are mere empty shells and working shadows of their old selves.
To a large extent, the ‘used’ girls merely exist, but amounting to nothing great or meaningful in life.
To make matters worse, parents spend less attention to their sons and daughters who leave their homes at will only to end up in night clubs and other spots with devils in angelic veils.
These children who keep strange companies, friends and associates are always seen spending money lavishly without their parents being inquisitive about the sources of such dangerous strange life style.
Lending a voice against
A Port Harcourt-based renowned environmentalist and leader of a women group known as Advocacy For Gender Equality, Dr Patience Osarojiji, once called on the state government to place ban on social outings and night clubs, noting that such places are not good and decent business spots; therefore should not be encouraged.
“Yes, these days I know the money making businesses are night clubs, hotels and bars, but there is nothing wrong if the government should say those places should be closed down because these are places where all sorts of bad things such as nudity and girls missing with yahoo boys are on the increase.
“People are being killed with their body parts missing and most parents even security agencies don’t even know that such unfortunate children are missing and they will never be found,” Osarojiji explained.
Live is booming at its peak due to the existence of hydro-carbon industries such as a world-class Indorama Petrol Chemicals and Fertilizer Company, Port-Harcourt Refinery Companies (phase 1 and 2), the nation dedicated Onne Oil and Gas five zone housing about 200 multinationals, two sea ports, an international airport and high volume of commercial transport business among others.
As the Treasure Base of the Nation, it is responsible for a huge chunk of the nation’s exchange earnings and strategic in the economic equation of Nigeria.
Beyond oil and gas businesses, there exists commercial activities being propelled by traders from the North, South, East and West geographical zones of the country thereby fueling more socio-economic activities such as commercial sex and not-too-pronounced child trafficking or baby factory business.
However, as residents and visitors enjoy their socio-economic lives in the state regarded as ‘land of milk and honey’, there exists also the bad and ugly elements who are dare-devil criminals that engage in ritual killings, cultism and armed robbery as their sources of daily income.
Any state complicity?
A highly placed public source disclosed in an interview with Blueprint on condition of anonymity that the state is still zero-tolerant for banditry and terrorism, judging from the non prosecution of culprits. The source stressed that there is concentration of cultism across the 23 local government areas of the state where cult groups such as D-Gbam, De-well and Island groups, among others operate freely.
“Elites, non-elites and community leaders who are cultists are the problems of community policing in Rivers state. They have their followers and protectors within the government and their communities; so they are seen as powerful, untouchable sacred cows for the police to easily arrest or investigate their criminal activities.
“These criminal elements are connected to people in government that would always receive telephone calls from powers above not to worry them, but if you insist, supporters of such people (criminals) would come for you.
“Community policing has however not overwhelmed the police in the state because some righteous elites and leaders are upright in their behaviour. In exposing criminal elements in their areas, they partner with the police. Sometimes, they effect arrest and submit to the police by themselves and often times, they go out to raid criminal hide-outs.
According to a police officer who spoke to Blueprint anonymously, “Some community leaders are head of cultist and such should not be concealed or protected, but the police always investigate and arrest those not under protection by their principals.
“Ritual murder is high in Rivers state during political period for human parts; the perpetrators kill and harvest human parts for their wealth to acquire power and where there is enormous cult groups, you have enormous cases of crimes especially sponsored ritual killings for prosperity,” he disclosed.
“The Rivers state police command is doing its best due to its enormous investigations units comprising 5-6 tactical teams apart from the state Criminal Investigation Department CID and divisions. The tactical teams assist the divisions in investigations not to overwhelm the divisions and CID. The state command is also succeeding through cooperation from the general public.
“This is over expectation from members of the public because if you undermine security, the society would be prone to danger. The police must also be adequately founded and provided or equipped with modern technology such as adequate functional vehicles, Closed Circuit Camera (CCTV) and Data base for people in their various locations be they Nigerians or foreigners.
