SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS

Ritual killings, the unlawful and often gruesome act of murdering individuals for the purpose of using their body parts, blood, or other human materials for spiritual, magical, or economic purposes, remain a persistent social menace in various parts of Nigeria, including Ibadan Metropolis, the capital of Oyo State. Ibadan, as a traditional Yoruba city with a rich heritage of religious pluralism including indigenous beliefs, Christianity, and Islam—has long been a site where traditional beliefs in supernatural powers intersect with pressures for wealth and success. Ibadan, as the largest city in West Africa and the capital of Oyo State, has witnessed several reported and unreported cases of ritual killings linked to deep-seated cultural beliefs, economic desperation, and criminal exploitation of traditional religion.