Ritual killings have become a deeply disturbing and escalating crisis across Nigeria and broader Africa, calling for urgent and united intervention. Lagos State, a key economic and cultural hub, has taken a leadership role by convening the first-ever Annual Africa Colloquium Against Human Trafficking. This event specifically included discussions calling for a united African front to combat the surge in ritual killings, often entwined with human trafficking and grave human rights violations. This analysis examines the scope of ritual killings, the socio-economic motivations behind them, government and community responses, and the pathways forward to address this grave matter.
The Rising Tide of Ritual Killings in Nigeria and Africa
Ritual killings are barbaric acts involving the murder of individuals for body parts intended for traditional rituals believed to bring wealth, power, or protection. Over recent years, and particularly in 2025, Nigeria has experienced an alarming rise in these gruesome crimes. According to the National Bureau of Statistics and police data cited by Lagos State’s Director of Intelligence Josiah Emewerem,
“over 150 ritual killings were recorded in the first half of 2025 alone, with women and youths as major victims,”
highlighting the alarming prevalence and vulnerability of specific groups.
Historical data shows an upward trend with the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) recording over 168 ritual-related deaths in 2022 and nearly 100 in 2024. This sustained increase signals the persistence and deep-rooted nature of the issue.
Geographically, ritual killings are not confined to Lagos or the South-West but span across northern, southern, and central Nigerian states. Incidents such as the arrest of a suspected ritualist herbalist in Enugu, the discovery of multiple bodies in Abuja suburbs, and numerous cases reported in Ogun, Oyo, Kwara, Cross River, and other states demonstrate a nationwide crisis.
Socio-Economic Drivers and the Culture of Violence
The surge in ritual killings is intricately linked with wider socio-economic challenges. Poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, and unregulated traditional beliefs converge to create fertile ground for these crimes. Many perpetrators, often young men and women, turn to ritual killings out of desperation or in misguided pursuit of quick wealth and power, perpetuating cycles of violence and criminality.
Lagos’s Attorney-General, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), described ritual killings as “commercialised evil”, asserting that these acts are manifestations of deeper societal ills such as poverty and greed.
Compounding this is Nigeria’s broader context of insecurity where serial violent crimes like banditry, kidnappings, cult clashes, and other gang-related violence already severely strain the rule of law and community safety. The crisis of ritual killings compounds these security challenges, further intensifying public fear and undermining social cohesion.
The Lagos Colloquium: A Landmark Moment for African Cooperation
In October 2025, Lagos State hosted a historic colloquium bringing together over 200 delegates from 15 African countries, including lawyers, policymakers, judges, prosecutors, NGOs, community leaders, and civil society organizations. This gathering emphasized that combatting ritual killings and related human trafficking requires cross-border collaboration beyond traditional focus areas on sexual and labor exploitation.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu powerfully urged unity, stating:
“Human trafficking is not an abstract problem. It is real, and it is close to home. It affects millions across Africa especially women and children through forced labour, sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, and the deeply troubling cases of ritual abuse and sacrifice. Behind every statistic is a face, a name, and a story of pain that must never be ignored.”
This statement underscores the human dimension and necessity for collective African action.
The colloquium aims to become an annual platform tracking progress, strengthening partnerships, and sustaining reforms addressing ritual killings continent-wide.
Stakeholder Perspectives and Roles
Key stakeholders highlighted the complexity and brutality of ritual killings, each emphasizing different facets of the response imperative:
- Lagos Attorney-General Lawal Pedro labeled ritual killings as commercialized evils borne from poverty and greed, calling for intensified prosecution and preventive strategies.
- Representatives from Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and legal experts advocated for strengthening reforms, defence of victims, and judicial capacity building. International cooperation with institutions such as Pepperdine University contributes technical support and capacity development.
- Community and religious leaders have been recognized as critical in addressing the spiritual and social dimensions of ritual killings. Lagos Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi emphasized the importance of involving traditional and community leaders for the success witnessed in sectors like Ikorodu combating harmful cult-related rituals.
- The International Organization for Migration’s Ugochi Daniels highlighted the profound trauma on victims and communities, stressing the need for comprehensive responses embracing protection, rehabilitation, and prevention.
The convergence of legal, community, and international actors highlights that ritual killings are not simply criminal issues but deeply embedded social problems requiring multidimensional solutions.
Current Legal and Policy Frameworks
Nigeria’s current legislative environment faces challenges in addressing ritual killings distinctively. Advocates argue that these crimes must be explicitly categorized under law separate from homicides, reflecting the ritualistic and social implications unique to this crime.
In Northern Nigeria, citizens have pushed for capital punishment for ritualists and individuals complicit in the trade of human body parts, reflecting popular demand for deterrence through harsher sentencing.
However, existing law enforcement capacity remains limited. Many cases go unsolved due to weak investigative structures, fear within communities, and reluctant witnesses. Stakeholders recommend comprehensive legal reforms, investment in forensic capacity, and public education campaigns aimed at tackling root causes such as poverty, superstition, and education deficits.
Psychological and Social Impacts on Communities
The ritual killings have triggered profound psychological distress among families and communities. The fear engendered by these random and vicious acts undermines trust within societies. Observers note that ritual killing normalization or desensitization among youth due to economic desperation threatens to deteriorate moral values and social fabric fundamentally.
The fear of supernatural or spiritual aspects behind ritual killings also hampers open discussion and cooperation with law enforcement, heightening the complexity of intervention.
The Way Forward: Building a United African Front
The Lagos colloquium stands as a beacon urging the continent towards structured, united efforts to eradicate ritual killings and their enablers. As Governor Sanwo-Olu proclaimed,
“Let history say that from Lagos in 2025, Africa took a stand and never turned back. Let us refuse to accept the killing of our children as normal, reject the exploitation of women, and silence that empowers crime.”
