The Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, has placed a spiritual curse on kidnappers, armed robbers, and anyone planning to commit evil in Benin Kingdom and across Edo State.
The monarch invoked the curse on Tuesday through priests and priestesses of all shrines, the Ewaise, or traditional physicians, the Iwebo society, and Aiyelala.
The spiritual exercise began with a procession from the Oba’s Palace and climaxed at the palace’s main entrance in Benin City. Participants, dressed in full ceremonial regalia, carried traditional spiritual objects and performed the rites in full public view.
During the ceremony, libations were poured and propitiatory rites were performed. The priests and priestesses invoked ancestral spirits to bear witness against perpetrators of violence and anyone collaborating with them anywhere in the state.
The move comes amid growing concerns over rising insecurity in parts of Edo, as the palace intensifies traditional and cultural efforts to complement security operations.
