The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has fixed Thursday, July 2, 2026, for a spiritual exercise aimed at invoking traditional sanctions against kidnappers, armed robbers, cultists and other violent criminals amid growing insecurity in Edo State.
The exercise is scheduled to hold at 6:00 a.m. at the Oba’s Palace in Benin City and will involve traditional priests, priestesses, native doctors and other custodians of indigenous religious practices from across the Benin Kingdom.
The decision follows an emergency meeting convened by the monarch with traditional worshippers, youth leaders and community stakeholders over the rising cases of kidnapping, armed robbery, cult-related violence and ritual killings in the state.
Palace sources said the exercise would feature prayers and traditional rites aimed at invoking ancestral sanctions against perpetrators of violent crimes and those accused of aiding or shielding them.
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Oba Ewuare II has maintained that traditional institutions must support efforts by security agencies and government authorities to tackle insecurity and protect lives and property.
Preparations are ongoing for the ceremony, which is expected to attract traditional leaders and worshippers from across Edo South and other parts of the kingdom.
The planned exercise comes amid heightened concerns over persistent kidnapping and other violent crimes in Edo State.