On Soludo’s fight against the root causes of criminality in Nigeria

The root causes of criminality are complex and multifaceted, as it were. Apart from well-established root causes such as dysfunctional family structures, substance abuse, greed and peer pressure, the get-rich-quick teaching of some native doctors who have turned into social media influencers, indoctrination of young people with false doctrines and criminal idolatry – which gives criminals a false sense of invincibility – have exacerbated crimes in Nigeria.

In Anambra State, Governor Chukwuma Soludo has taken on these root causes of criminality head-on and the positive results are there for everyone to see.

While drug abuse could impair judgement, lead to impulsive behaviours and increase the likelihood of engaging in crime, the increase in the number of native doctors and witch doctors – who prepare charms for criminals – have been shown to be directly correlated to the increase in crime in Nigeria. Also, many young people have been lured into terrorist groups by spiritual leaders who indoctrinated them with false teachings.

To be crystal clear, this is not about whether the charms from these witch doctors are efficacious or not nor is it an issue about freedom of worship. Everyone has a constitutional right to freedom of worship, which is guaranteed under Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). It is not about genuine native doctors who use traditional methods to cure diseases and afflictions. It is about witch doctors who are complicit in crimes and are indoctrinating fertile minds with false teachings. No decent and serious society would allow this kind of negative influence on its citizens.

Last week, some suspects confessed that they were involved in the kidnap and gruesome murder of Honourable Justice Azuka, the lawmaker representing Onitsha North Constituency 1 in the State House of Assembly, after collecting millions of naira from his account. The leader of this gang lived in Asaba with a native doctor who prepared the charms that emboldened this group of criminals.

This is just one example of the influence some of these native doctors have on criminals.  In an academic paper published in Human Affairs, a researcher from the University of Ibadan, established a common denominator amongst young people apprehended for internet fraud – also known as Yahoo Plus- by the EFCC. The researcher established that ‘’charms such as afose (do as I say), oruka-ere (charmed rings), ijapa (tortoise), ose-awure (success-boosting soap), atona (pathfinder)’’ are commonly used by these criminals during internet surfing when defrauding victims’’. Many fraudsters believe that these charms increase their chances of success in their internet scams. These charms are prepared by native doctors who in some cases have been reported to also ask for human sacrifices. This makes these witch doctors and native doctors complicit. “It is no longer just about scamming people. They are now into kidnapping, banditry, and ritual killings’’ the chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, remarked about internet fraudsters while addressing journalists last Thursday.

The recently passed Homeland Security Law in Anambra State addresses issues bordering on the complicity of these native doctors. Section 18 (1) of the newly signed Anambra State Homeland Security Law reads: ‘’ Any person who under the practice of “okite” or “ezenwanyi” or under any other guise, administers any substance or charm on or for any other person for the purpose of commission of any offence or for the purpose of accumulation of wealth by supernatural means other than by any known lawful means of livelihood or who publicly propagates the accumulation of such wealth other than by any known lawful means of livelihood, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of 6 years with an option of fine of N20 million or both’’.

Also, for native doctors who have taken to the social media to advertise the efficacy of their charms, Section 18(3) reads: ‘’Any person who misleads the public by purporting to wield any supernatural powers which he is found not to possess or who obtains any reward from any person in furtherance thereof, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of 6 years with an option of fine of N20 million or both’’.

The recent law in Anambra has helped in clamping down hundreds of kidnapers and their accomplices. But as expected, this has come with some push back from a tiny minority.

Last week, a popular native doctor in Anambra State, known as ‘Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki’ – who goes around with security details, boasts of his wealth and who is also a social media influencer – who claimed to have the power to make people become wealthy with the use of charms was invited for interrogation by Anambra’s security services. Another popular and rich native doctor who was also invited for questioning was seen on videos boasting of how his charms could take other people’s good fortunes and give them to his clients. It is important to investigate if these charms require human sacrifices, their efficacy and the business the people who are currently patronizing these native doctors are into.  Kidnappers could also be amongst their clientele.

While the majority of Nigerians applauded Governor Soludo’s fight to cleanse Anambra, some have decided to fight the governor’s good works. A few days ago, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, a lead council of IPOB, criticized the Anambra State Government for the arrest of the native doctor, ‘Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki’. Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor claimed that the native doctor’s fundamental human right was being trampled upon. This is a very unpatriotic criticism from Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor. He does not mean well for the state because nobody’s fundamental human right is being trampled upon. A few days after Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor’s criticism, the social media was agog with videos of ‘Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki’ spraying wads of naira notes on Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor in a social event. In this world of AI-generated videos, this column has no way of authenticating the veracity of this viral video but it was a clear case of naira abuse that is punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007. As of this moment and to the best of this column’s knowledge, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor has not denied this viral video.

Some well-meaning Nigerians have also argued that churches need to do some kind of background checks on people who donate loads of money above their incomes or who may not have verifiable sources of livelihood. The point is that anyone who partakes in proceeds of crime is complicit.

The fight to rid our society of criminality and kidnapping requires concerted effort. The national orientation agency has its work cut out.

Governor Soludo’s efforts are yielding fruit. He requires all the supports he needs.

Nwankwo is the special adviser to Soludo on special projects