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Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo has defended his administration’s crackdown on some native doctors, saying the actions are directed at criminal activities disguised as traditional worship.
Soludo spoke on Friday during a media chat in Awka, the state capital.
He said the government respects traditional religion but will not tolerate practices linked to crime.
According to the governor, some individuals operating as native doctors have been involved in activities that support criminal groups.
Soludo explained that the government’s concern arises when religious practices are used to promote or enable criminal acts.
“They call it ‘oso Soludo,’ that is the run by criminal native doctors. We have made this very clear over and over again that we understand traditional religion,” the governor said.
“We also understand the difference between the traditional religion and criminal idolatry. We support freedom of worship, freedom of religion. Anybody can worship the way you want, provided you realise that your own right ends where the other person’s own starts.
“Where your own practices and preaches now breed criminality, that is where we come in. Traditional religion is a purist religion,” he added.
The governor alleged that some native doctors provide charms and spiritual protection for kidnappers, armed robbers and other criminals. He also warned against ritual practices linked to money-making schemes and violent crimes.
Soludo said such actions have nothing to do with genuine traditional medicine or legitimate religious practices.
He added that the government is determined to stop what he described as harmful rituals associated with activities such as “Ego Mbute,” “Oke-Ite,” and “Yahoo Plus.”
Authorities in Anambra have recently arrested and prosecuted several native doctors for alleged offences.
One of the suspects, a Nnewi-based native doctor identified as Johnpaul Ezenagu, also known as “Mmuo Mmili Afulu Anya,” was arrested by the Anambra State Agunechemba Strike Force. He was accused of conducting illegal rituals and supplying counterfeit currency to internet fraudsters.
Security operatives led by Ken Emeakayi, the governor’s Special Adviser on Community Security, reportedly searched Ezenagu’s residence in Nnewi. During the operation, the suspect allegedly took officials to a shrine where the rituals were said to take place.
Authorities said they also asked him to demonstrate claims of summoning a water goddess believed to appear as an alligator, but the ritual reportedly produced no result.
In a separate case, another self-proclaimed native doctor, Chidozie Nwangwu, popularly known as “Akwa Okuku Tiwara Aki n’Oba,” was sentenced to two years in prison earlier this year.
The High Court in Awka ruled that part of the sentence would run concurrently with the time he had already spent in custody following his arrest last year.
