The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has fixed Thursday, July 2, 2026, for a traditional spiritual exercise aimed at placing curses on kidnappers, armed robbers, and other criminal elements operating in Edo State.

The monarch announced the date days after convening an emergency meeting at his palace in Benin City with native doctors, traditional priests, priestesses, and youth representatives, where rising insecurity in the state was strongly condemned.

The meeting was part of growing concerns over the increasing cases of kidnapping, cult-related violence, armed robbery, and ritual killings across Edo State and neighbouring areas, which palace sources say prompted the traditional institution to take spiritual action alongside government efforts.

According to reports, Oba Ewuare II directed that traditionalists across Edo South would be fully involved in the exercise, which he described as a spiritual response to the worsening security situation in the region.

The planned ritual is expected to involve prayers, invocations, and traditional rites believed to call on ancestral forces to confront and deter perpetrators of violent crimes, as well as those allegedly aiding or shielding them.

The exercise will take place at 6:00 a.m. on July 2, 2026, at the Oba’s Palace in Benin City, where traditional leaders are expected to gather for the final phase of the spiritual intervention. Curses are expected to be pronounced on kidnappers, bandits, ritual killers, and their collaborators.

Sources within the palace said the initiative is part of a long-standing role of the Benin traditional institution in addressing societal challenges, particularly issues affecting peace and security within the kingdom and Edo State at large.

Oba of Benin summons native doctors, priests, others to tackle insecurity

Oba Ewuare II was quoted as saying that the exercise is rooted in the authority of the ancestors, stressing that traditional institutions must continue to complement the efforts of security agencies in tackling crime.

He reportedly noted that the worsening security situation requires a collective response, including both modern law enforcement strategies and traditional mechanisms of deterrence.

The latest development follows the earlier mobilisation of native doctors and traditional worshippers by the Oba, who had summoned stakeholders to the palace to deliberate on the rising insecurity and the role of traditional institutions in addressing it.

The Benin Kingdom has historically played an influential role in community governance and moral regulation, with traditional rulers often intervening in matters affecting social order and justice.

In recent years, insecurity in parts of Edo State has remained a major concern, with frequent reports of abductions along highways, attacks in rural communities, and rising criminal networks linked to kidnapping for ransom.