By Cosmas Omegoh, Kunle Olafioye (Lagos), Tony Osauzo, Ighomuaye Lucky (Benin), and Laide Raheem, (Abeokuta)

There is no pretence anymore. Nigeria has never been at such crossroads as another monster of gargantuan size and stature – ritual killing for money – bulldozes its way into the national psyche, staring every one in the face. It has the dimension of a national malaise. Denying this evil is awful, fruitless and needless. That is the reality many are now slowly, but regrettably beginning to acknowledge.

Over the past years, abduction of people has been on the rise. Some individuals simply vanished without any trace. A few who managed to return home alive have told nightmarish and unbelievable tales of what they saw in camps where they were taken to. There, victims were dismembered right before their own eyes in such a gruesomely mindless orgy, leaving their blood streaming down in rivulets. Their essential parts were chopped off there and then, and kept away for customer who needed them.

At the centre of this burgeoning human parts trade are men and women who prepare charms to enable them make money they did not work for. When they cannot buy already-harvested parts, they abduct their victims, kill them, and later discard their remains. Then in collaboration with their juju doctors, they proceed to use what they have for “money rituals,” as it is now called in street parlance. How that works, remains a mystery that might take science an age to unravel.


According to Sunday Sun investigation, this “money ritual’ now making Nigeria and Nigerians edgy didn’t start yesterday. It was birthed as Internet scam. Growing like a weevil, it began gnawing at the fabrics of the Nigerian society, gradually forcing things to give way, allowing them to fall apart steadily. Many did not notice. Those who did merely waved away the crime, leaving things unattended to, unaddressed. Now, it has gathered pace.

Some people believe “money ritual” has already attained a menace of epidemic proportion, spreading far faster than ever imagined, treacherously threatening the real existence of the Nigerian society now in distress.

Sunday Sun learnt that the involvement of a band of desperate, unrelenting youths is worrisome. They go by the name “Yahoo, Yahoo,” boys. Many of them are graduates from the various tertiary institutions. Even barely literate ones who only know that the evil trade fetches money are joining in their droves.


According to Sunday Sun investigation, this “money ritual’ now making Nigeria and Nigerians edgy didn’t start yesterday. It was birthed as Internet scam. Growing like a weevil, it began gnawing at the fabrics of the Nigerian society, gradually forcing things to give way, allowing them to fall apart steadily. Many did not notice. Those who did merely waved away the crime, leaving things unattended to, unaddressed. Now, it has gathered pace.

Some people believe “money ritual” has already attained a menace of epidemic proportion, spreading far faster than ever imagined, treacherously threatening the real existence of the Nigerian society now in distress.


According to Sunday Sun investigation, this “money ritual’ now making Nigeria and Nigerians edgy didn’t start yesterday. It was birthed as Internet scam. Growing like a weevil, it began gnawing at the fabrics of the Nigerian society, gradually forcing things to give way, allowing them to fall apart steadily. Many did not notice. Those who did merely waved away the crime, leaving things unattended to, unaddressed. Now, it has gathered pace.

Some people believe “money ritual” has already attained a menace of epidemic proportion, spreading far faster than ever imagined, treacherously threatening the real existence of the Nigerian society now in distress.

Sunday Sun learnt that the involvement of a band of desperate, unrelenting youths is worrisome. They go by the name “Yahoo, Yahoo,” boys. Many of them are graduates from the various tertiary institutions. Even barely literate ones who only know that the evil trade fetches money are joining in their droves.

Our correspondent further learnt that in the beginning, the Yahoo Yahoo boys who were majorly Internet fraudsters were mainly coning, and scamming the unsuspecting ones – both Nigerians and foreigners. But gradually the tempo of their ill began to wane. Many had begun to know both their tactics and their antics. So gradually they shifted to the next level – using human blood to make money. That is their new frightening platform. They hypnotise their victims sort of, and cause them to be under an influence they cannot explain and begin to do their bidding. That they now call “Yahoo Plus.”

Even barely literate ones who only know that the evil trade fetches money are joining in their droves.

Our correspondent further learnt that in the beginning, the Yahoo Yahoo boys who were majorly Internet fraudsters were mainly coning, and scamming the unsuspecting ones – both Nigerians and foreigners. But gradually the tempo of their ill began to wane. Many had begun to know both their tactics and their antics. So gradually they shifted to the next level – using human blood to make money. That is their new frightening platform. They hypnotise their victims sort of, and cause them to be under an influence they cannot explain and begin to do their bidding. That they now call “Yahoo Plus.”

On the other hand, Yahoo Plus boys kill their victims and use them for money rituals. They target their parents, sibling, friends and neighbours. It is either they drag their victims to a juju doctor, or do so through a remote spiritual means or kill them by themselves. There are some who do assorted things that nauseate. Once things go as they planned, in no time, the Yahoo Plus chap is already super rich, reeling in wealth.

Now, in their blind quest for money, some are told to either eat their own feaces, or make love to their parents or do such weird and discomforting stuffs that provoke humanity to revolt. Not many saw this bizarre act carried out for money sake coming. But it is here, and threatening to stay for as long as it is allowed to be.

Money ritual and NOA

According to Paul Odenyi, assistant director, Press, at National Orientation Agency (NOA), Abuja, ritual killings and advance-fee fraud are considered a part of the general concept of value decay in the country.

“One would think that the young generation, with their exposure and spread of religious faith, will have nothing to do with rituals. But what we are seeing shows that the youths and the whole society appear to be saying “anything that will give us money is worth trying.”

Ritual killing, he said, “is based on the belief that you can sacrifice human beings to make money. It is a wrong belief which the whole of society should rise against.

“Just like ritual killing, Yahoo boys are exploiting the rise in Internet economy to scam of people of their hard-earned wealth.”

Legislators raise the alarm

Days ago, the House of Representatives raised the red flag, following the wanton killing of innocent citizens for ritual purposes mostly for money making.

The lower chamber wanted the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on the social vice now on the rise.

It tasked the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali, and his officers to take proactive measures and up their surveillance and intelligence-gathering game so as to arrest and prosecute those involved in the evil.

The parliamentarians also tasked the National Orientation Agency (NOA), parents, schools, religious leaders as well as the media to begin campaigns to change the trend.

The pronouncements were sequel to a motion brought on the floor of the House by the Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu entitled: “Need to Curb the Rising Trend of Ritual Killings in Nigeria.”

Okechukwu was aghast that ritual killings had attained frightening heights in recent times.

According to him, “the Red Cross Society in 2017 reported that it received 10,480 reports of missing persons in Nigeria.”

He lamented that “merchants of such wicked acts often use the social media as a ready tool to advertise their evil behaviours.”

Solution to current menace

Chief Elebuibon believes diligence and hard work are ways out of the problem.

He also believes “those who are desperate to be rich will definitely pay for their desperation some day.

“In Yoruba land, it is believed that no deity will ever aid a lazy person. Diligence must always come first.”

too bad..

It’s about time we tackle this menace once and for all, or at least let’s start from somewhere.