Traditional Healers Must Register — or Pay Millions
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has introduced a groundbreaking Executive Bill to the State House of Assembly seeking to regulate the operations of native doctors, herbalists, and spiritualists, while taking a hard stance on ritual crimes and forest-based criminal activity.
Titled the “Maintenance of Internal Security, Vigilance and Order Bill,” the proposed law aims to outlaw money rituals, criminal bulletproof charms, and the unauthorized use of forests and buildings for criminal activities such as kidnapping and banditry.
Under the bill, anyone offering spiritual or traditional services—whether as a native doctor, herbalist, diviner, or seer—must register with a designated government agency. Non-compliance could result in fines ranging from ₦1 million to ₦5 million, or up to two years imprisonment, or both.
The legislation targets a rising wave of ritual crimes. Section 15 criminalizes charms and substances used to gain invincibility or wealth through supernatural means. Violators face six years in prison, a ₦5 million fine, or both.
The bill also takes aim at the use of religious spaces for crimes and the use of human parts in rituals—offenders face up to 20 years imprisonment without the option of a fine.
Accountability for Property Owners and Hoteliers
Property owners who allow their land or buildings to be used for kidnapping or ransom collection will face 20 years imprisonment, according to the bill. Hotel and guest house owners must now install surveillance cameras, gather valid guest identification, and transmit data to authorities—or face ₦1 million fines.
Landlords, too, must report prospective tenants’ identity, phone number, and occupation to relevant authorities or risk a ₦500,000 fine.
Tightened Oversight on Security and Vigilance Groups
The bill also mandates the registration of all private security outfits, with full disclosure of their armed personnel. Town union presidents are now legally obligated to file routine security reports with local authorities.
This legislative move follows the May 28 rescue of a 13-year-old girl kidnapped for ritual purposes in Umuojor village, Ezeagu LGA. The state police, in collaboration with community vigilantes, discovered two decomposing bodies in a pit within an abandoned property owned by a native doctor, High Chief Levi Onyeka Obu, also known as “Ezeani,” who remains at large.
Police spokesman SP Daniel Ndukwe confirmed the arrest of three suspects, with investigations ongoing. The gruesome discovery appears to have added urgency to the state government’s efforts to crack down on ritual-related crimes.
Governor Mbah’s administration insists the bill is not an attack on cultural heritage, but a necessary measure to curb abuse, protect lives, and ensure public safety in Enugu State.
