Nation
Money Ritual: Nigerians Express Worry Over Killing Of Girl By Teenagers In Ogun
Reactions have trailed the killing of a girl identified as Rofiat by her boyfriend and three others at Oke Aregba area of Abeokuta in Ogun State on Saturday.
It was reported earlier that Soliu, who was the boyfriend of Rofiat had, with the aid of his friends strangled her, cut off her head and burnt same in a local pot, purportedly for money ritual.
Luck ran out on the teenagers when a local community guard, Segun Adewusi, sighted their activities and reported to the police at Adatan.
The police arrested 17-year-old Wariz Oladeinde, 19-year-old Abdulgafar 20-year-old Lukman and Mustakeem, all residents of Abeokuta.
Soliu, Rofiat’s boyfriend who initially absconded was later arrested by the police.
According to the Ogun Police Spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, the boys have all confessed to the crime, claiming they planned to use the burnt human head for money ritual.
In the wake of the heinous incident, Nigerians who could not hide their disdain for the teenagers’ actions took to social media to express their worries.
Many recalled their goals at age 17, questioning why Nigerian teenagers were overwhelmed by the get-rich-quick syndrome.
Some blamed parents and guardians for failing in their responsibilities to bring up their children and wards uprightly, while others said it was a result of the dwindling value system in the country.
However, many have blamed the government for failing to provide good leadership and governance, saying this is why youths resort to internet fraud and ritual killings to get rich quick.
The Ogun State Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Abduljabar Ayelaagbe said: “These teenagers’ and youngsters’ propensity to commit crimes for money is increasingly disturbing. Our society’s approval of moral laxity is, no doubt, a source of this malady.
“We all owe it a duty to help the security agencies and the government to arrest the situation and save our society from looming destruction.”
An investigative journalist, Sodiq Ojuroungbe, posited that “Parents are no longer taking care of their responsibilities. Society, especially this Abeokuta, is really a bad place for a child to grow up. There are thousands of jobless guys here and there. Bars and clubhouses are always full, every day is like a party here, and many of those small kids look up to these Yahoo Boys-turned-ritualists as role models.
“Some parents even take their children to where they can learn Yahoo-Yahoo. We have instances where the mother will take her child to where they can do rituals for him. It is funny when you look around here and the only job you see people do and are always proud of is this Yahoo Yahoo. You are ridiculed when you hustle through normal means.
“It takes the grace of God, family background, and self-discipline for some of us not to engage in it. This country is in a big trouble by the time all these small boys are ripe.”
Bolaji Ajose, a student of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, said many of the teenagers were being influenced by what they see on social media.
Ajose made reference to Tiktok, where he said traditionalists advertise how to get rich through fetish means on videos.
Speaking, Abiodun Adeniji, blamed a parent, who he said encouraged his son to engage in internet fraud.
“That’s where we’ve found ourselves. You can’t imagine an elderly man saying with pride that his son is a Yahoo boy and that he loves it that way. He said the guy is taking back his grandparent’s stolen wealth from the white people. It baffles me anytime it comes to my memory.
Adeniji suggested that “some of those guys should be arrested and sentenced accordingly with their parents.”
Also, a graduate of Mass Communication, Lovelyn Azobu, suggested that youths who engage in internet fraud and ritual killings should be sentenced alongside their parents, and possibly wives, girlfriends, concubines and so on, to serve as a deterrent to others.”
Adebola Oluwaseun said, “Laziness, unseriousness, arrogance, disregard for authorities is prevalent amongst today’s youths.
“Imagine a secondary school leaver with no skills, saying he can’t work under anybody and he goes about with iPhone looking for clients. It’s so pathetic and we are seated on a nuclear bomb if an emergency isn’t declared by parents, spiritual leaders, political leaders etc.
“The society is a reflection of the family and this is where the present and future leaders will be chosen from!
“Just like the Netflix new series, “All of us are dead” (God forbid), if a systemic, strategic, methodical plan/approach isn’t declared.”
Strategic regulators and other stakeholders have expressed satisfaction with the pace, quality and magnitude of work carried out by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) in Ogoniland, in line with the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
In their separate speeches at the 2025 4th quarter key regulators / asset owners meeting held in Port Harcourt, the strategic stakeholders commended HYPREP for the significant milestones achieved with excellent efficiency and transparency, demonstrating capacity and commitment to sustaining collaboration with development partners for the overall success of the Project.
The regulators particularly lauded HYPREP for the landmark success in the implementation of the land and shoreline remediation, mangrove restoration, provision of reticulated potable water, the various sustainable livelihood programmes, donation of ambulances to health facilities in Ogoni, the construction of Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, as well as the ongoing Ogoni Power Project, adding that their independent field reports have shown proofs of HYPREP driving even beyond its mandates.
The goodwill messages were made by representatives of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Centre for Environment and Human Rights Development (CEHRD), Society for Women and Youths Affairs (SWAYA), Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN), Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC), and Federal Ministry of Environment. Others are the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, the Rivers State Ministry of Health, the National Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Rivers State Ministry of Power, the Rivers State University, the Rivers State Ministry of Water and Rural Development, and Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.
Following the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit’s presentation on the status of HYPREP projects, participants offered feedback on areas of concern. They reassured HYPREP and the people of Ogoni of their continued support for the Project’s success. They also suggested that the quarterly review meeting be sustained as it enables them to report, evaluate and proffer solutions to areas of concern.
Participants also commended HYPREP for improved community and stakeholder engagement and for adding to what they saw the previous time. “We commend HYPREP for the quality work done at sites. The progress is phenomenal, because HYPREP is scoring good grades, above average,” Prof. Iyenemi Kakulu from Rivers State University said.
In his speech at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, who was represented by Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi, Director of Technical Services, commended the regulators and asset owners for their cooperation with the Project, and for making themselves available for fieldwork and the regular review meetings.
Prof Zabbey reiterated HYPREP’s commitment to best practice in waste management, particularly waste generation and disposal, calling on the Regulators for adequate logistics support, saying HYPREP’s priority is to focus on the core recommendations by UNEP, especially, remediation(soil, shoreline) mangrove restoration, provision of potable water, interventions in public health care services and sustainable livelihood for the people.
The Project Coordinator further highlighted the status of the Project, the successes achieved across all thematic areas, and assured that HYPREP will soon complete most of the ongoing projects and roll out others. He explained that the purpose of the meeting was to review the progress of the Ogoni cleanup, ensure quality control, and foster effective collaboration.
Consequently, the quarterly key regulators/asset owners meeting is HYPREP’s strategic stakeholder management model, further underscoring the Project’s commitment to transparency, partnership for development, and accountability, all of which are harbingers of effective project delivery.
Speaking to newsmen, HYPREP Project Support Lead and representative of Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Engr Ehioze Igbinomwanhia, described his involvement with HYPREPas an encouraging and insightful experience, saying, the Project is implementing a wide range of projects across Ogoniland, spanning immediate remediation works as well as livelihood support initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of affected communities.
Engr Igbinomwanhia emphasised that Renaissance Africa Energy remains fully committed to supporting the objectives of the Ogoni cleanup project, noting that the company has a long history of collaboration with HYPREP.
He added that the partnership has been characterised by continuous learning, adaptation and a willingness to respond to observations and recommendations aimed at improving outcomes.
He further emphasised the importance of safety in all project operations, particularly given the challenging terrain and operating conditions in Ogoniland.
He noted that safety is treated as a critical priority and that contractors are continually reminded to maintain high safety standards, stressing that lessons learnt from previous operational challenges like the collapse of the water tank in Gwara Community are being applied to strengthen safety practices and overall performance.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
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