Ritual killings, Yahoo-Yahoo and Quick Wealth

By Ofili Nonso 

Igbo Nollywood, English Yoruba movie are the reason why a lot of young boys are doing rituals. They keep promoting fetish stuff in all their movies.
— SAMKLEF (@SAMKLEF) January 16, 2022

Samklef’s tweets may just be one part of the horrifying truth that there has been an increase in missing persons and ritual killings in the country. On Saturday, the 29th of January, four teenagers were caught with a human head (female), apparently for ritual causes. 17-year old Wariz Oladeinde, 19-year old Abdulgafar, and 20 year-old Lukman slaughtered the girl, who happened to be a girlfriend to their friend. The boyfriend, who is the fourth suspect, deceived the girl, identified as Rofiat, and then collaborated with his friends and killed her. Not only that, they were caught trying to burn her head in a local pot when they were caught. 

For a while, “Yahoo Boys” was the rave: persons who make living scamming clients.  Now, it is “Ritual Killings.” In the most recent case, what’s most appalling is the nature of persons involved: Young, inexperienced boys, already diving in rituals to MAKE FAST MONEY. In a normal Nigerian setting, at the ages of 17, 19 and 20, the only focus is to get into tertiary institutions. While their mates, most probably are attending Jamb Centers, trying to further their education, Wariz, Abdulgafar, and Lukman felt it better to take human life in exchange for wealth.

Only recently on the Olalere murder case, the 32-year-old suspect, Afeez Olalere admitted to the Lagos State Police Command that his mother encouraged him to kill his younger brother for money rituals. In the confession, Afeez said: “My mother took me to an herbalist who told me if I want to be successful in the ‘Yahoo-Yahoo’ (internet fraud) business I will have to sacrifice one life, and that person must be a sibling to me. So, we went back home and thought about it. Then my mother suggested that we use my younger brother, since he is just 21years old.” 

Afeez also told the police that his mother provided the poison which they put in his younger brother’s food: “He died within 20 minutes after eating the poison. I was the one who cut out the body parts needed. We then wrapped his dead body and headed to the mortuary.” Fortunately, mother and son were caught along Itamaga Ikorodu Road, Lagos, on their way to the mortuary.

As hurtful as it looks, society has a part to play in this ever growing trend. It can be seen in the dwindling value system. The comparison from society between those who work hard and those who make quick money never ends. The rich are always favored. Nowadays, one is ridiculed when one hustles through hard means. It’ll look as if you’re not making an effort. Gone were the days when “Quick Money” was questioned. “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop” proves further that unemployment is another reason for the rise in ritual killings. Without something to occupy one’s mind, one dives into get-rich-quick schemes to escape poverty, in attempts to escape “Sapa.”

It is a hard fact that people who disappear without trace mostly end up as victims of ritual killings. The harsh reality is that perpetrators go around abducting victims to collect body parts for rituals to make charms, potions, and mostly money. Afterwards customers flock in with different problems to be solved through rituals. It could be a head, it could be the torso. These body parts, already available, are then sold to the client, who in turn uses them. In some cases, the clients are told to go source for the parts themselves. For others, the parts are already available. And that’s how the cycle of kidnappings and ritual killings is repeated.

In March 2014, the nation was thrown into confusion when a kidnappers’ den was discovered by some commercial motorcyclists in search of their colleagues in Soka community, Ibadan, Oyo State. Human skulls, dried human parts alongside malnourished victims reportedly reserved for ritual purposes, were discovered. One of the most celebrated cases was that of the Port Harcourt serial killer, Gracious David-West, who reportedly lured seven young ladies with high-risk lifestyle across Lagos, Imo and Rivers State to hotels and murdered them, allegedly for rituals. Another one was the gruesome murder of Elozino Ogege, a 300 Level undergraduate of Delta State University by a gang of four yahoo boys. One of the criminals confessed that they took the young lady to a bush where they plucked out one of her eyes while she was still alive. “She was even crying and begging us to forgive her and let her go, but we plucked the other eye, removed her breast and heart before she died,” he said.

For those that document their high-flying lifestyle on social media: displaying wads of cash, or uploading shots in Jacuzzis or exclusive restaurants, it is simply a case of “OPPRESSION” of the poorer majority. For the weak at heart, the display is enough motivation to get money at all costs, through illegal ways. The names are recognized: Hushpuppi, Mompha, Invictus Obi (who is serving a 10-year jail term in the US for internet fraud) and Mr Woodbery on Instagram, who was arrested by Dubai Police for alleged money laundering and cyber fraud.  Hushpuppi used to flaunt his wealth, at the same time, and post motivational quotes to back his posts. He is due to be sentenced on February 14th 2022. Little wonder China banned celebrities from flaunting their wealth in social media. The impact of expensive possessions is enough to initiate ideas, good or bad.  

Also, the trending belief that “you can’t find love when you’re broke” poses a major factor too. Love, a natural feeling, is now traded for the worth of someone’s pocket. That’s how young boys engage in abominable practices, in an attempt to impress and be loved. Pressure and high expectations from parents, no doubt, pushes youths to engage in ritualism. Some parents go as far as indulging their children in Yahoo or Ritualism in order to “reap the fruits of their labors” way too early. 

Despite the legal provisions made against yahoo, ritual killings and other offenses, the menace still persists. From Nollywood movies promoting fetish stuff, to a depleting value system promoted by naija music, the quest for money has driven many people to perform deeds, appalling enough not to be seen or heard of. 

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