The Isese Human Rights Community (ISHRIC) has sounded the alarm over the growing number of ritual killings allegedly perpetrated by some Islamic scholars in Yorubaland. In a statement released yesterday, the group expressed deep concern over recent incidents involving Islamic clerics caught with human parts, describing these acts as a threat to public safety, particularly for young women and youths.
ISHRIC cited multiple cases, including the conviction of two clerics, Folorunsho Abdulwahab and his father, Babatunde Folorunso, in Kwara State for exhuming and mutilating a body for ritual purposes. Other cases mentioned include the arrest of Islamic clerics in Ondo State, Ibadan, and Apete for possessing human parts, including kidneys, hearts, and a tongue.
The group also recounted the arrest of three clerics in Oyo State caught with human remains in their vehicle and the recent case of Sheikh Abdul-Rahamon Muhammad Bello, accused of murdering a 300-level student from the Kwara State College of Education in Ilorin.
ISHRIC condemned these acts as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by such perpetrators and commended the Nigerian Police Force for apprehending the culprits. The group urged the police to remain vigilant in protecting citizens and called on traditional rulers to denounce these acts and collaborate in eradicating such practices.
“We must create a society where our citizens can live without fear of being killed for ritual purposes,” the statement read. ISHRIC vowed to continue advocating for justice, stating: “We will not rest until our society is free from the scourge of ritual killings.”
