A civil society organisation, The Advocacy for Alleged Witches, yesterday raised concern over the rising tide of money rituals, and other ritual-related violence in the country.

Speaking to journalists in Asaba, the leader of the organisation, Mr Leo Igwe, lamented that many people are committing crimes in the name of these rituals and going scot-free, thereby threatening the lives of others and polluting communities.

While calling for a critical re-examination, Igwe stated that belief in rituals is not the problem, but committing crimes in the name of those rituals is problematic.

He said: “We believe people practice rituals. But once your belief starts to harm another person or the society, then we are in for it.

“Nobody cares when they see goat heads or chicken feathers at junctions, but when it becomes a human head or body parts, that is the real issue.”

He cited several disturbing cases where acts of violence were justified under the guise of spiritual or supernatural directives, including the now widely discussed disappearance of a young man’s manhood.

According to him, many cases of false alarms over manhood disappearance have led to attacks, beating, murder, and abuse of innocent persons.

“Indeed, these cases of alleged manhood disappearance and mob violence in the past months in the state are posing a dangerous trend, because people are using superstition and ritual claims to commit crimes and spiritualise it without being questioned,” he said.

Igwe called on stakeholders to enact laws that hold individuals accountable for crimes committed under religious or spiritual pretences, insisting that beliefs should never justify crimes.