The House of Representatives has taken decisive action in the fight against the alarming rate of ritual killings in Nigeria. In a unanimous decision, the House directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to establish a dedicated and highly skilled team to carry out a comprehensive investigation with the primary objective of uncovering the criminal cartels responsible for these heinous acts and bringing them to justice.
This crucial decision was made following the adoption of an urgent public importance motion under Order 8 Rule 4 at the plenary session on Wednesday. The motion was presented by Honourable Awaji-Inombek Abiante, who passionately highlighted the distressing trend of young girls, particularly university students, falling victim to ritual killings at the hands of their supposed boyfriends.
Abiante emphasized the urgent need to safeguard the lives of young girls, as well as every Nigerian citizen, in line with the constitutional provision stated in section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
In his impassioned plea, he recounted the chilling cases of Augusta Osedion and Oghenefejiro Ochuko, both final year university students, who were brutally murdered by their boyfriends in separate incidents in July and August 2023 respectively. He also drew attention to the numerous other unreported cases that have plagued the country.
The recent loss of Miss Justina Otuene, a 20-year-old undergraduate student of the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Port Harcourt, was highlighted as yet another horrific example of these senseless killings. Justina was tragically murdered by Damian Okoligwe, who is also an undergraduate student of the same university. This shocking incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by young girls.
Abiante expressed deep concern that these killings have become disturbingly frequent, with a significant number of reported cases of missing females whose whereabouts remain unknown. He further revealed that the perpetrators of these heinous crimes often operate as part of well-organized and formidable criminal networks, depicting a dire situation where young girls have become an endangered group.
More troubling still is the fact that some of the missing victims are eventually found dead, with no trace of their assailants. Abiante emphasized that the killings follow a similar pattern, with the bodies of the victims dismembered and their vital organs removed.
In response to these horrifying realities, the House of Representatives has called on the Inspector General of Police to form a crack team. This highly specialized task force will be responsible for conducting a thorough and wide-ranging investigation in order to expose the cartels behind these gruesome killings and ensure that justice is served.
This resolute step taken by the House of Representatives reflects their unwavering commitment to safeguarding the lives of Nigerian citizens, especially the vulnerable young girls who have become targets of these brutal crimes. It is hoped that the establishment of this crack team will yield significant breakthroughs, leading to the dismantling of these criminal networks and the punishment of all those involved.
