Oluwo of Iwoland demands death penalty for ritual killers, highlights national scourge

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has used the 65th Independence Day celebration to draw attention to the scourge of ritual killings across the country, expressing sympathy for victims and their families.

In his Independence message, the monarch lamented the rising cases of ritual killings, saying that Nigeria is not yet truly independent while such practices persist.

“We are not yet independent until Nigerians are free from the poverty of mind that leads to the killing of innocent souls for rituals. The bloodshed in the land is haunting and hurting,” the Oluwo declared.

While acknowledging government efforts, Oba Akanbi called for the enactment of stringent laws to curb ritual killings.

He proposed capital punishment for perpetrators, stating, “Anyone caught killing humans for rituals should be sent to the gallows.”

The monarch also condemned restrictions on people’s movements in the name of ritual practices, describing such acts as uncivilized.

According to him, those who take human lives for rituals “will never end well,” and their lineage “will perish with no trace of greatness.”

The Oluwo stressed that “the practice of restraining people’s movements in the name of rituals should also be checked by the government. Sovereignty should be extended to address these uncivilized practices.”