Native doctors in Benin revoke curses placed on human trafficking victims
- Oba of Benin ordered native doctors to reverse oaths victims of human trafficking were forced to take
- The ceremony was done at the king palace on Friday
- This will reportedly encourage victims of human trafficking to return home without fear
Hundreds of native doctors converged on the Oba of Benin palace on Friday, March 9, 2018, to revoke the curses placed on victims of human trafficking in order to encourage victims to return home to Nigeria without fear of repercussion.
The order for the oath reversal was made by the Benin monarch, Oba Ewuare II, The Nation reports.
Oba Ewuare 11 said Governor Godwin Obaseki had pleaded with him to help reduce the spate of human trafficking in the state.
The king said the palace frowns at the use of native medicine as a way to “perpetrate evil in the land through aiding and abetting human trafficking”.
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He said: “You native doctors whose business is to subject people to oath of secrecy and encouraging evil act in the land, you have to repent, stop doing it.
“This is not a joking matter and if you do not repent, you’ll see the repercussions.
“What the Palace stands for is peace and the development of the state. I want to use this medium to tell you that the act of using charms to aid trafficking, the palace seriously frowns at it.
“We want us to join hands together to fight against human trafficking in the land."
Meanwhile, the Director-General of NAPTIP, Dame Julie Okah-Donli, has hailed the actions of the king.
Speaking at the palace of the Benin Monarch, Okah-Donli, who was represented by the Edo state Commander of NAPTIP, Barr. Nduka Nwawwenne, expressed confidence that the king's action will reduce the scourge of trafficking in persons, PM News reports
She said: “The major reason is that victims of human trafficking who are supposed to give evidence in court don’t usually open up because of the oath of secrecy they have taken.
“These oaths are taken with some personal items like finger nails, pubic hair, menstrual pads, pictures, clothings and things like that. They are also told that the moment they open up and reveal their traffickers, they will be punished by the oaths they have taken.
"So, because of that, we are not able to get enough evidence to prosecute suspected traffickers.
“With the pronouncement of His Royal Majesty today, I think a giant stride has been taken and am sure that people will now open up, because, in the first place, oaths will not be administered on them [trafficking victims].
“I believe that now that curses have been placed on them, His Royal Majesty has forgiven those that administered it previously. So, I believe in it.
“Since the Oba is highly revered, am sure that the juju priests and native doctors will comply with what Oba has pronounced. Am sure that victims will now open up and most importantly, they will not be taken to shrines to be administered with oaths.”
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Legit.ng earlier reported that Edo state government said it will construct permanent shelter for indigenes of the state among victims of human trafficking and irregular migration currently being returned to the country.
Mrs Abieyuwa Onyemwense, Secretary of Edo Taskforce on Anti-Human Trafficking, disclosed this to newsmen in Benin on Friday.
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Source: Legit.ng
