Curse On Human Traffickers By Oba Of Benin Yielding Positive Results
Loading ...
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
The revocation of oaths of secrecy by victims of human trafficking and curse placed on their traffickers, their colaborators, cultists and members of Community Development Associations,, byhe Benin Monarch, appears to be yielding positive results.
His action follows reports by people and complaint by the Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Dame Julie Okah-Donli, that victims are subjected to oaths of secrecy by their traffickers.
Okah-Donli had while on a visit to the Benin Monarch a few weeks ago, disclosed that the agency finds it difficult to prosecute offenders because the victims are not willing to come to court to testify against their traffickers due to the oaths of secrecy administered on them.
A woman who’s joy knew no bound almost got knocked down by a moving vehicle, as she danced and rolled on the main road leading to the Oba palace.
She said that five of her female children who have been under bondage for several years, are now free from their oath of secrecy and the servitude they had been subjected to.
It was also reliably gathered that scores of cult members have been visiting the State High Court to depose to affidavit, renouncing their membership of the various cult groups.
A source at the State High Court who spoke spoke to our correspondent at about 2 pm, on condition of anonymity, said they had processed the affidavit of about 39 persons, and more are still on queue, awaiting their turns.
It was also gathered that several Enigie (Dukes) who had secretly engaged in land racketeering even after the pronouncement of ban on such activities by the Oba, are now returning lands they had forcefully occupied to their owners.
Many who spoke on the issue, noted that the curses pronounced by the Oba on human traffickers, their colaborators, cultist and others would have a positive effect, because the Benins have a reverential fear of their Oba.
