How Deadly Ritualists Are Terrorizing In Delta

A swarm of deadly ritualists are currently on the prowl in several part of oil rich Delta State.

BigPen Online gathered that the new ritualists popularly known as “Yahoo Boys” in local parlance go on posh cars looking for victims mainly young girls to devour.

Sources revealed that the set of perpetrators who were hitherto into advanced internet fraud popularly known as “yahoo yahoo” email scamming have now veered from defrauding their unsuspecting foreign partners into carrying out ritual killings as a mean of quick illegal wealth.

From Asaba, the Delta State capital to Warri,  the commercial nerve centre of the state to Agbor, the governor’s hometown to Sapele and Ughelli, the group of suspected ritual killers hold sway without hindrance.

Their recent ungodly exploit in the state, is the brutal killing and dismembering of a 300 level student of Mass Communication, Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, Miss Elozino Joshuana Ogege.

Before her death which is currently generating widespread condemnation in the state, many young undergraduates have been killed and their body parts removed by this group of suspected ritual syndicates.

BigPen Online check however revealed that besides the Otokoto hotel money ritual killings case that happened on 19th September 1996, during the regime of late General Sani Abacha in city of Owerri – Imo, where an innocent 11-year-old boy named Anthony Ikechukwu Okoronkwo was murdered for ritual, Delta State have recorded its share of several tales of worrisome ritual killings that the recent Elozino’s case is just one among the lot.

Report says before the horrible Otokoto incident, the people of Owerri were already very mad at the bizarre actions of some loud, extremely powerful and obscenely wealthy individuals in the state. These people were highly-connected and oppressed everyone where they went. They were known ritualists who were only exposed by the teenage boy’s death.

After the killing of the innocent boy who was a groundnut seller, there arose a mass action in Owerri in which houses, including Otokoto hotel and other properties belonging to this evil men were burnt and destroyed by mobs. That mob action,  reports say later faded out many incidents of ritual killings in the city.

Finding revealed that some years back, Otokutu bridge in Warri axis of Delta state became a notorious den of the ritual killers, some of whom disguised as mentally deranged persons to lure their unsuspecting victim. So many innocent young girls and women were victims of that ungodly episode which instilled huge fear and panic across the state then.

However, today many a case of ritual killings in the state are traced to this set of people called yahoo boys, or G-boy as they are fondly known. These are daredevil ritualists who no longer hide in Otokutu bridge as the case maybe. They are the new murderers in town that the society and government have consistently overlooked.

So disturbing a situation, as the once dreaded ritual killings is no longer dreaded. This set now leave and reside among the people masquerading with one job or the other. They rent big apartments, from where they carry out fetish activities, drive posh cars, and are even given security cover, and celebrated as the latest “big boys” in town.

Just a months ago, the Police in Ovwian, Udu Local Government Area of Delta State had arrested a middle aged man who allegedly attempted to sleep with his neighbour’s wife for money ritual. The man whose identity couldn’t be immediately ascertained was exposed after the victim raised alarm of the incident which took placed around Igbiki Layout, back of Ovwain Grammar School, Udu. The matter which was later charged to court has remained shronded in secrecy while the suspect walk the streets freely awaiting next victim.

Similarly, few week ago, suspected ritualists sniffed out life of a 43-year-old farmer, identified as Ejiro Kelvin at Oghara community in Ethiope West local government area of Delta State, thus causing tension and fear of the unknown among the residents. A woman was also beheaded for ritual purpose in the town same month.

The twin incident threw many of the residents off balance as they panic over the ritualists’ activities that have spread like wild fire in the community in recent times. It was not clear how police investigation ended in that case, but the police at the Oghara Police Division, who spoke to journalists on the condition of anonymity, said the vital parts of the body of the victim were removed with the remains dumped in the bush, adding that it was obvious that the victim was killed by suspected ritualists.

Early this year around February, BigPen Online had reported of how a female student at the Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, simply identified as Happiness, was reportedly found dead with her private and other vital body parts removed by suspected ritualists.

The student, who was said to be a fresher, was declared missing on January 25th. Reports say she reportedly left her hostel to celebrate her birthday with some male friends at a popular bar in Ozoro, the administrative headquarters of Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State. From there she reportedly have followed some male friends alleged to be ‘Yahoo Boys’ to Oleh where she was found killed. It was not clear how the case ended.

In the case of Elozino who was murdered in her prime, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Muhammad Mustafa, said they have been able to track down Elozino’s killers, with reports that at least four suspects, including two Yahoo Yahoo boys, a native doctor and security guard, have been arrested.

Reacting to the case which is gaining a statewide condemnation, a seasoned journalist and broadcaster, Ijeoma Uba who gave a graphic details of the activities of this set of ritualists in her article, following the murder of Elozino, however blamed the society for supporting the renewed menace of ritual killings.

She blamed politicians who steal public funds, church ministers who sermonise only about seed sowing, and parent, who often compare their hardworking children with those flashing their ill-gotten wealth, even the media for emboldening the new ritual phenomenon.

A resident of Warri who preferred anonymity however said that soon jungle justice would be the order of the day for any suspected yahoo boy believed to have acquired wealth through ritual killings.

The two main political parties in the state, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and All Progressives Congress,  APC have lend their voices to condemned ritual killings in the state, particularly in regards to the recent developments.

“Elozino death seem to have opened our eyes to certain realities”, said Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, former governor of Delta State in reaction, urging security agencies to double up their efforts by enforcing the law to stop the menace of Yahoo Yahoo boys, ritualists, cultists and other rising criminal activities in the society.

BigPen Online reports that just last night, the Delta State Government ordered a major crack down on the criminal elements veneering as “Yahoo Boys” (internet fraudsters) following the Elozino’s case.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa expressed serious concern over the increasing and disturbing activities of suspected ritual killers and criminally minded individuals, whose obtrusive and flamboyant escapades are becoming more conspicuous.

He however appreciated the solidarity exhibited by Deltans and Nigerians in condemning the bizarre act and urged security agencies in the state and country to commence a massive crackdown on them.