BENIN CITY — Growing concerns have emerged over reported cases of killings of minors and other violent crimes in parts of Edo State, with residents expressing fear over what they describe as an increasing threat to circumcisions activities.
Reports from some of the affected communities indicate that incidents linked to traditional circumcisions disputes conflicts and other forms of organised violence, is crime against humanity that have continued to create anxiety among residents.
Some residents said fear of attacks had discouraged people from accessing their ancestral homes particularly in areas considered vulnerable to traditional circumcisions that have created criminal activities that are taking place.
They also expressed concern that in some cases, victims of violent attacks of refusing the force circumcisions make it difficult for parents to see their loved ones die or suffer discomfort for the rest of their lives
One of the cases that is drawing attention, is the killing of Mr Osaze Idiale Friday of sakponoba road, lsienwienro community, oredo local government area of Edo state, whose wife gives birth to a set of twins babies, a boy and girl
According to sources familiar with the incident, the couple female child was forcefully taken away from them for circumcisions, the child died twelve days after the complications from circumcisions.
The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear, and the identities and motives of those responsible for their death have not been officially established based on activity of the security agency.
Evidently there are many allegations that showed that people believe there is possible involvement of the heads of deities of circumcisions, there’s verified evidence linking father and daughter died.
Residents have called on the relevant security agencies to sustain efforts to make the exact law workable to stop traditional circumcisions of both minors and adults, others said it’s an aged long tradition that cannot be abolished.
They also expressed concern that in some cases, victims of violent attacks of force circumcisions are difficult for them to leave a normal life, as parents seeing their loved ones die or suffer discomfort for the rest of their life’s
A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that the traditional circumcisions are heads of the deities belonging to various occultic groups that make them organised criminals, it was alleged that the daughter died of the complication from the forced circumcisions, the father of deceased minors accused the community of conspired with the head of deities to kill his new born baby.
The source said, Friday stated before he died that the traditional head of deities and the community conspired to kill his baby girl they are still responsible for his attack, according to the report, the attackers came with dangerous weapons to attack him, unfortunately he succumbed to the cold hand of death, died of injuries he sustained during the attacked, meanwhile efforts to determine those attacks Friday that led to death of had so far been unsuccessful, adding that members of the family remained apprehensive over their safety as the property was destroyed by unknown gunmen suspected to be working for heads of traditional deities and the community.
There are concerns within the community that those responsible for the fiscal and spiritual killing of the father and daughter, pose a threat to surviving female members of the families whose wives are pregnant and future pregnancy.
The reported incident has renewed calls for security agencies and government at all levels to intensify investigations into cases of killings of minors through traditional forced circumcisions and abolished it just as it is in Western world.
