Ogun state ritual killing: Experts chook mouth for wetin fit make youths dey engage in 'money ritual'

Many pipo no believe dia eyes wen police arrest three young boys for allegedly killing di girlfriend of dia friend for alleged 'money ritual' recently for Nigeria.

Before dem arrest di boys, plenti tori about money ritual don dey fly around and pipo begin wonder how Nigeria take enta dis kind situation.

Dis na why BBC Pidgin speak to security and child safety experts, and one Nigerian lawyer to ask wetin be di cause of dis current trend.

Wetin be ritual killing?

Official statistics for Nigeria indicate say cases of ritual killing don increase in number of missing persons all over di kontri in recent times.

Police dey find some, while for others dia search go don dey late. Speculation dey say majority of pipo wey disappear without trace often be victims of ritual killings - wia suspects go abduct victims to collect dia body parts for rituals to make money, charms or even portions.

Oftentimes, dis parts dey dey required by herbalists to make sacrifices wey go give dem power, wealth or even cure illness. But e no dey easy to prove say such sacrifices fit give pesin money or protection.

Police and oda fraud agencies like Nigeria Economic and Financial Crimes Commission don increase dia work to go after pipo, mostly young boys wey dey into such.

'Poor parenting fit be issue'

Di Public Relations Officer of di Delta State Police Command, DSP Bright Edafe, tell BBC Pidgin say di root cause of dis trend na poor parenting system and hunger for quick money.

According to di police officer, some parents dey allegedly sponsor dia pikin to go learn internet fraud.

"Na sake of failed parenting system. Some parents look for money to sponsor dia pikin to learn internet fraud, na wetin dey go on for our society today.

"Number one cause of dis fast rising trend na poor parenting, den di need to make quick money. Youths no wan go school again, and di one wey dey go school prefer to use dia money to buy result. Di hunger for quick money dey part of wetin dey cause dis trend, but 80 percent na sake of poor parenting," di police tok-tok pesin tell BBC Pidgin.

Issue of peer pressure

Di spokesperson for di Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kwara State Command, Babawale Afolabi, follow discuss di mata as im blame peer pressure for di money ritual trend wey dey happun for di kontri.

E say internet fraudsters aka Yahoo boys don too much for di kontri and many young ones dey allow peer pressure to push dem into fraud.

"Yahoo boys don take over. Wen boy wey be 15 years dey see im mate dey drive exotic cars, e also wan do di same. So e go say since na Yahoo dem dey do, e also go do di same thing. Na one of di major reasons be dis," Afolabi tok.

Di civil defence officer also blame parents for di trend as e tok say some parents no dey monitor dia children.

'Meaning of success don change for society'

Di founder of di Total Child Initiative and member of Child Safety Education and Protection Initiative, Elizabeth Azubuike, say di cause of dis trend na sake of say society don change di meaning of success.

She say wetin di society describe as success na wen person get money to flaunt around.

Azubuike also blame parental influence for di trend. She tok say some parents no care about how dia pikin dey make di money wey dem dey spend on dem. She say for di society today, pikin don turn to parents and parents don become pikin.

"Parental influence, societal influence and long throat na di causes of dis trend," Azubuike tell BBC Pidgin.

Di child safety expert say pipo no dey contented wit wetin dem get, and na why dem dey think of money ritual.

She say some lazy parents don leave dia responsibilities for dia children, and dis na why many of dose children dey engage in money ritual.

One Nigerian lawyer, Barrister Gladys Ochu, also blame lack of proper parenting as di cause of ritual killing for Nigeria.

"Na di family be di first point of influence for pikin. Some pipo just bring pikin into di world and dem no get di intention to be responsible for dia wellbeing.

"Di family unit don fail in dia responsibility for dis children, and na why dem don become problem for di society," Barrister Ochu tok.

According to di Nigerian lawyer, social media sef add to di problem but parents still get control for wetin dia pikin fit dey exposed to.

Wetin fit be di solution?

Afolabi tok say parents and goment get role to play to make sure say dis kind trend dey eradicated from di society.

"Some pipo wey don graduate from school and no see job go think of Yahoo as di next option. Goment gass provide job for di unemployed to solve dis problem.

Azubuike advise parents to know wetin dia pikin dey do and know who dia friends be.

"If you think you don fail as a parent, go back to di drawing board to get your pikin back from di claws of dose things wey don steal dem from you," Azubuike tok.

Di child safety expert also tell parents to take up dia responsibilities and preach contentment to dia children.

Barrister Ochu tok say di goment and non-gomental association get dia roles to play to reform di young children wey get faulty foundation.

She say some of dis children need reformation and goment gass get competent pipo to train dem and reintegrate dem into di society.

Barrister Ochu also tok say e get some contents social media platforms suppose to dey block for certain age group.