By Valentine Amanze
Edo State government has aligned with the Benin monarch’s far-reaching decisions and royal pronouncements on human trafficking, cultism and other crimes.
At a meeting of chiefs, dukes, native doctors, priests and priestesses with the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, on Friday, the Benin monarch placed curses on the people perpetrating human trafficking in the state.
The Benin monarch also extended the curses to killer gangs and cult groups, armed robbers who have been unleashing terror on innocent people in the state and causing mayhem in the name of cult activities.
He nullified all oaths administered by human traffickers through their collaborators; native doctors and priests, on victims of the inhuman trade, with a directive that victims of human trafficking are now free from any spiritual oath.
He directed the trafficked persons to speak out and name their slave masters and mistresses and seek help if need be.
The state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, who hailed the directives of Oba Ewuare II, noted that “the royal intervention would check the menace of human trafficking.”
He urged the priests, priestesses and native doctors who have been aiding human trafficking in any way, to desist forthwith.
“As a government, we have tremendous respect for all Edo people and residents in the state as well as their religious convictions. But we will not accept the perpetration of crime and evil in the name of religion and will not condone any form of support for inhuman practices such as human trafficking.
“With Oba Ewuare II’s pronouncements, we expect that those people who have been aiding these traffickers would, in their own interest, withdraw their support and focus on their calling. We will not spare anyone irrespective of their religious convictions, when caught.
“We are working with the federal government through the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to arrest and jail traffickers and their collaborators. We have a law in the works that will further strengthen this fight and this administration will go after anyone that dares the laws.”