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•Laud Soludo on homeland security law, present vehicles to task force
From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Members of the Anambra State Native Doctors and Herbal Medicine Association gathered in Igbakwu community, Ayamelum Local Government Area, in their numbers, last Sunday, in a move to sanitise the group from fake and murderous agents who have brought negative image and baggage to their members.
Hosted by Chief Paul Ikwunne Metala (Ite Ego Ayamelum), members of the association, including female dibias and Ezenwanyi, all resolved that there will be no more hiding place for all native doctors involved in fake and unethical practices, blood money rituals (Okeite), use of human parts for ritual and charms, among others.
The Anambra State Homeland Security Law 2025, specifically targeting Okeite (money ritual pots), mandates strict penalties for native doctors and spiritualists involved in criminal rituals and the promotion of “get-rich-quick” schemes. The law aims to sanitise, not outlaw, traditional practices by outlawing “bad eggs” involved in kidnappings and violent crime.
Key aspects of the law and ritual regulations specifically bans Okeite (money rituals), Eze Nwanyi (spiritual powers used for crime), and the dumping of sacrificial items on roads or in water bodies.
There are also spelt penalties for defaulters as engaging in these rituals could lead to six years in prison and a fine of ₦20 million. If rituals involve human parts, penalties are 25 years imprisonment.
The law also mandates all native doctors and Ezenwanyi to register and state their specialties to the government. Enforcement actions had already begun in the state, with high-profile arrests, notorious practitioners’ shrines in Oba and other locations demolished in 2025 and 2026.
The law signed by Governor Soludo, was framed as a critical step to “fight for the soul of Anambra” by eliminating practices that foster insecurity and destroy youth morality.
Speaking during the gathering, President of the association, Chief Anayochukwu Edekobi, (Icheoku Agulu) said members of the association are determined to complement the efforts of Governor Chukwuma Soludo towards sanitising and securing the state. He explained that the association has put in place stringent measures to weed out bad elements who tarnish the image of native doctors by encouraging and enabling crimes and social vices in any form.
He said members have been encouraged to uphold moral and ethical conduct in their practices aimed at contributing towards improving the state health system through traditional medicine.
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Edekobi said: “We have formally registered with both federal and state governments. We are resolute to separate the chaff from the wheat. We have instituted a native oracle of the land, in which all members and intending members take oaths of commitment to abide by the stipulated government regulations.
“The oath/vow forbids ritual killings, preparing charms for kidnappers and hired killers, involvement in human parts charms and other items listed in the Homeland Laws. We also prohibit adultery with member’s wives etc.
“We also fight for member’s interests to ensure that none of us is victimised unjustly or accused falsely. We have a legal team represented by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), while our task force team already inaugurated will work across the three senatorial zones in the state, to ensure effective monitoring and compliance”.
The president also clarified that membership of the association cuts across both indigenes of Anambra and those resident and practicing in the state. He also disclosed that some practitioners, who initially identified with the association, later ran away when they discovered that they would be under oath, which he said signified that they had some skeletons in their cupboard.
Edekobi further said members of the task force were charged to be thorough in their engagements, fish out any defaulter, and hand such persons over to government for the law to take its due cause.
To ensure effective service delivery, the association presented three shuttle buses to its task force teams in the three senatorial zones of Anambra North, South, and Central to monitor the enforcement of the Anambra Homeland Security Law and facilitate its activities across the state.
The Anambra North Zonal Chairman of the association, Mr. Chijioke Nebechi (Stone of Omor), said the association has streamlined its activities in line with government regulations, and expressed hope that the task force team would not compromise in their line of duty for any reason, whatsoever.
Chief Paul Ikwunne-Metala said the association will not relent in the fight to chase away people who hide under native medicine practice to perpetrate evil and threaten the security of the state.
Also speaking, the State Woman Leader of the association, Lady Onyinye Nwankwo-Anochiri, urged members to uphold unity of purpose and respect the law of the state, adding that the association will not hesitate to hand over erring members to the relevant government agencies for prosecution.
Members also collected copies of the Anambra State Indigenous Traditional Medicine Practices Law, which was mass-produced by the leaders of the association, in order to reach out to more members and also internalise the provisions of the law among themselves.
