There have been growing concerns about the obnoxious increasing trend of ritual killings across Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the heightened situation of ritual killings is driven by the quest for quick wealth, poverty, unemployment, and lack of effective legislation.

There have also been sustained calls for stronger laws against ritual killings to effectively stem the tide of the menace.

There have also been appeals for plausible economic empowerment programmes and public awareness campaigns to deal with the dastardly phenomenon.

Analysts have posited that the government, civil society, and individuals must work together to address the underlying factors and put an end to these heinous crimes.

In Katsina State, the residents of have urged the government to provide a death sentence against ritualists and those found selling or eating human parts.

They made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Katsina.

The residents said the call has become imperative in view of the increasing cases of ritual killings, particularly in some parts of the country.

Ayuba Inusa, a resident of Katsina, said that was the only way to prevent the people from joining the ritual and cult groups.

He said: ?Since the perpetrators have no mercy, they deserve to be treated with no mercy, to serve as a deterrent to those willing to join the groups.?

Inusa further stressed the need for the traditional and religious leaders to intensify efforts in preaching against the ugly act.

On his part, Malam Kabir Tukur, advised the people against the desire to accumulate worldly materials using such inhumane and ugly methods.

He said,? That Is because most of the victims were those who want to accumulate material things easily and anyhow.?

Tukur further urged parents to be monitoring their sons and daughters and discourage them against such bad habits to prevent them from becoming victims of such circumstances.

He also urged girls and women to be wary of friendship in the social media, saying, ?because, most of the victims were easily caught up through that platform.?

Another respondent, Grace Jacob, also urged girls to desist from going to the persons they met through the social media to avoid becoming victims.

She further urged the government to provide stiffer punishments against perpetrators of those barbaric acts.

In Kaduna State, the Police Command said it has recorded zero ritual killing in the state.

The command?s Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.

He said, ?This remarkable achievement is a testament to the state?s unwavering commitment to combating this heinous crime.

He said the command has not received a single complaint of ritual killing in the past three years.

According to him, the ways to curb this incident include stopping hard drugs? abuse, public enlightenment, and addressing youth motivations.

?The command?s proactive approach to preventing ritual killings has included increased patrols, intelligence gathering, and community engagement,? Hassan said.

He advised that the youths should be engaged with the local communities to raise awareness about the dangers of ritual killings.

Hassan said, ?Religious leaders have a role to play in educating the public about the importance of upholding human life and the sanctity of human dignity.?

He said the youths should be engaged on education and job creation programmes, as well as counseling services to address anxiety and other mental health issues.

?We will continue to prioritise the safety and security of citizens,? Hassan said.

In Kano State, some experts have called on community leaders to collaborate in efforts to combat ritual killings, urging action to address the underlying factors driving the crime.

Some of the residents, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) urged the government at all levels to address the crime.

One of them, Musa Abubakar, a lecturer at the Kano State Polytechnic, attributed the increasing frequency of ritual killings to economic hardship and widespread poverty.

According to Abubakar, these challenges have driven many, especially young people, to seek alternative, albeit criminal, means of wealth acquisition.

He said that the high unemployment rate has led to increased desperation, with some individuals believing that ritual sacrifices may offer a shortcut to financial success.

Abubakar said: ?Moral decay is on the rise. If this decay is not addressed, it could lead to an increase in other forms of criminality.

?They include human trafficking, organ harvesting, and cult-related violence, further destabilising the nation.

A public affairs commentator, Isa Muhammad, stressed the importance of collaboration between the security agencies and community leaders to curb these crimes.

?Community policing initiatives should be expanded to encourage local participation in crime detection and reporting.

?Vigilance groups should also be involved in monitoring suspicious activities,? he said.

Isa further emphasised that traditional and religious leaders must take a strong stance against immoral practices, while educational institutions should enforce ethics that all the students must adhere to.?

Similarly, Abdulrazak Abdullahi, a Lawyer, expressed concern over the growing incidents of ritual killings, highlighting a shift in values where human life was no longer sacred.

?The increasing prevalence of ritual killings suggests a dangerous shift in societal values, with people willing to engage in barbaric acts for personal gains,? Abdullahi said,

He urged the law enforcement agencies to act proactively rather than only responding after crimes have been committed.

Abubakar then called for closer cooperation between the Police, judiciary, intelligence agencies, and community leaders to dismantle criminal syndicates behind these killings.

?The government should strengthen legal frameworks, improve law enforcement, and ensure the swift prosecution of offenders,? he added.

An activist, Hajiya Amina Ali, also called for the intensification it public awareness campaigns and the enactment of stricter laws to create a safer and more secure society.

She stated that the high unemployment had fueled desperation, with some resorting to ritual sacrifices as a shortcut to wealth.

li warned, ?If the growing moral decay is not addressed, it could lead to increased criminal activities, including human trafficking, organ harvesting, and cult-related violence, further destabilising the nation.? (NAN)

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