Delta Women Invoke Curses Over Rising Kidnappings In Sapele

WOMEN from 14 communities in Amukpe District, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, staged a dramatic protest on 12 February 2026, condemning the surge in kidnappings and violent crimes in the area.

The protest, held at Amukpe Roundabout, was led largely by elderly women who declared that their communities were under siege from criminal elements. In a symbolic display rooted in tradition, the women publicly invoked curses on suspected kidnappers, drug dealers and informants believed to be aiding criminal activities.

Cultural Response to Insecurity

Participants drawn from Ikwegwru, Okirigwre, Amukpe, Ibada, Eko, Igbeku, Adagbrasa-Amukpe and neighbouring settlements described the action as a cultural mechanism for confronting wrongdoing.

The protest featured chants, prayers and traditional rites intended to warn perpetrators and call for divine justice. Community leaders said the approach predates Christianity and remains part of indigenous methods of addressing grave offences.

Chief Morrison Asagba, Assistant Duke of Amukpe District, said repeated abductions and violent attacks forced traditional authorities to back the women’s protest.

“This is a response to those who kill people like animals and destroy the peace of our land,” he said, noting that the community had reached a breaking point.

Appeal to Security Agencies

Hon. Samson Eruteyan Ohiambe, President-General of Amukpe District, described the security situation as alarming, alleging that kidnappings now occur both day and night.

He said community leaders are working with security agencies to provide intelligence that could lead to arrests and dismantle criminal networks.

Mrs. Doris Kpebughe lamented that many women have stopped going to farms for fear of abduction, disrupting livelihoods and affecting children’s education.

The women called for urgent intervention by security agencies to restore safety and normalcy in the district.