Ritual Money: The Growing Sacrifice of Girls for Ritual Wealth in Nigeria

Written By Idowu Ephraim Faleye – 08132100608

It is becoming harder to ignore what is happening around us. A strange darkness has crept into our streets, neighbourhoods, schools, and homes. Girls are disappearing—young, innocent, vibrant girls. Their lives are being cut short, and their stories end before they even begin to unfold. And why? Some people want to get rich quickly. There is a growing certainty that human life can be exchanged for wealth, called ritual money.

In many parts of Nigeria, ritual killings are no longer things whispered in the dark or dismissed as myths from the village. They are now open realities—reported on the news, trending on social media, and discussed in hushed tones among neighbours. But the victims are real. Their blood is real. Their pain is real. And tragically, many of them are young females, often teenagers or even younger. These are our daughters, our sisters, our nieces, and our classmates. But society is behaving as if it is none of our business. Until it hits our home, until the next missing girl is related to someone we know, we treat the problem with negligence and a carefree attitude that is both shameful and dangerous.

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How did we get here? How did we become people who turn a blind eye when an evil is committed; when another girl is reported missing; when a dismembered body is found; or when a young man is caught with human parts? The truth is, that our society has been slowly conditioned to accept these atrocities. We laugh at skits that glamorize ritual killings. We celebrate sudden wealth without questioning its source. We allow music videos, movies, and social media influencers to dress up blood money. And our silence is louder than any scream. Every time we stay silent, we give these evil acts permission to continue.

Let us not deceive ourselves. Money rituals are real. They are not fiction. They are not just superstition. They are carried out every day by desperate individuals who believe that sacrificing a human life, especially that of a young female, can grant them wealth, power, and influence. According to data from crime-tracking organizations like the CLEEN Foundation, ritual killings have increased significantly in the past five years. In 2022 alone, over 120 ritual-related deaths were reported, and the majority of the victims were young females. Think about that number. Over a hundred human beings are gone forever because someone wanted to drive a Mercedes-Benz or build a mansion.

The logic behind targeting young females is as twisted as it is horrifying. In many of these deadly belief systems, it is claimed that the blood or body parts of virgins or young women are more spiritually potent. This sick ideology has turned young girls into prime targets. They are lured through fake relationships, promised jobs or modelling gigs, or sometimes just snatched from the streets. And the worst part is that when these tragedies happen, the outrage barely lasts more than a few days. A trending hashtag, a few emotional posts, maybe a candlelight vigil. Then silence. Until the next victim.

What we are witnessing is a societal failure on every level. The government is failing in its duty to protect lives. Law enforcement agencies and the legal system are slow and weak. But even worse, the average Nigerian is failing their neighbour. Communities protect suspects. Families defend criminals. And religious leaders, both in churches and mosques, remain mute. Some even offer prayers for people who flaunt suspicious wealth without asking questions.

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We must understand this clearly: wealth made through ritual killing is blood money. It is a robbery of the worst kind. It is the theft of a life. It should be treated the same way we treat armed robbery or kidnapping. Anyone who accepts gifts or donations from a known or suspected ritualist should be considered an accomplice. Any parent who celebrates their child’s sudden wealth without verifying its source is aiding evil. Any spiritual leader who accepts offerings from someone with no clear source of income is encouraging bloodshed. We must stop normalizing this madness.

The society must rise in collective rejection. We must begin to treat ritual killers the way we treat murderers and armed robbers—because that is what they are. There should be no seats for them at our wedding, our naming ceremonies, or our places of worship. The mosque should not honour them. The church should not give them front-row seats. The market should not take their money. The community should not celebrate them. They must be isolated, rejected, and shamed until this evil loses its attraction. This is not wickedness. This is justice. This is protection. This is survival.

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People say we should not judge, that we don’t know how someone made their money. But let us be honest. We do know. We see the signs. The sudden wealth. The sketchy behaviour. The unexplained generosity. And when these signs appear, we must ask questions. We must hold each other accountable. Because every time we ignore the signs, another girl is taken. Another life is wasted.

This is not just a criminal issue. It is a spiritual issue. It is a moral issue. And it is a deeply human issue. It affects every one of us. Because when one girl is killed for money, all of us lose a part of our humanity. The ripple effects are vast—broken families, traumatized communities, and a generation that learns that evil pays. We must stop this now before we lose everything.

We also need to start using data and technology to fight this plague. State governments should set up missing person databases and hotlines. Communities should have neighbourhood watch systems. Schools should educate students about the dangers of being lured by strangers or too-good-to-be-true offers. Parents must become more alert and more present. The media must be responsible in its reporting and stop sensationalizing these crimes.

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Religious organizations must rise from their slumber. This is not the time for feel-good sermons. This is the time to speak truth to power, to call sin by its name, to cast out the darkness with the light of truth. No amount of praise and worship can replace justice. No offering can clean blood-stained hands. It is time to call ritual killings what they are: satanic, evil, and an insult to God and humanity.

We cannot move forward as a nation while sacrificing our daughters on the altar of greed. We cannot build a better Nigeria while bathing our future in blood. We must all take responsibility. We must all play our part. Whether you are a teacher, a trader, a pastor, an imam, a policeman, or a politician—this is your fight. This is your duty. This is your chance to be on the right side of history.

Because at the end of the day, if we fail to act now, we will wake up one morning and realize that no girl is safe, no child is safe, and no future is guaranteed. And when that day comes, no amount of money, no matter how it was made, will be able to buy back what we have lost.

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Let us not wait for it to happen to our family before we care. Let us not say God forbid and move on. Let us be angry now. Let us be loud now. Let us fight back now. Because every second we delay, another child is being targeted. Another girl is being deceived. Another family is being broken.

This is not just a call for awareness. This is a cry for justice. This is a demand for change. This is a warning to those who think they can hide behind wealth soaked in blood. Your days are numbered. The truth is rising. The people are waking. And justice—true justice—will not sleep forever.

So let this article not end with just your reading. Let it become your voice, your message, your mission. Speak about it. Share it. Talk about it in your homes, your mosques, your churches, your campuses, your workplaces. Don’t stop until Nigeria becomes a place where girls are safe, and blood money is treated with the hatred and disgust it deserves.

If you feel the pain of a grieving mother, if you see the tears of a broken father, if you hear the silence of a sister who never returned, then you already know what must be done. We cannot keep burying our daughters and praising their killers. Enough is enough.

Idowu Faleye is the founder and publisher of EphraimHill DataBlog, a platform committed to Data Journalism and Policy Analysis. With Public Administration and Data Analytics background, his articles offer research-driven insights on Politics, governance and Public Service delivery