Some residents of the area attribute the invasion of ritualists on the dusty town to yahoo boys while others say the ongoing process for the election of a House of Representatives member for the constituency may be responsible.
In the past three weeks, bodies of young girls with their private parts removed and tongues cut off have reportedly been found along the Monaya hospital road in the outskirts of the town while some bodies were recovered floating on the Monaya River.
“Just yesterday, Monday, a girl was spotted on a motorcycle and the way she was sitting with her head resting on the back of the okada rider, people suspected that something was wrong and went after the okada man who was riding very fast. They managed to stop him while trying to find out what was wrong with the girl who was obviously hypnotized , the okada man sped off.” Mgbeje, a resident of the town said. \
He said within the period, two girls who bargained and collected the sum of 400,000 naira from a man who lodged in one of the hotels in the area for him to suck their breasts ended up dying after the breasts grew very large and painful.
Another resident, Martina Oko said okada riding has been banned at night in the area because it is at that time that the ritualists operate most.
“We do not know if these ritualists are killing girls because of the election or to make yahoo money but the number of girls that have fallen victim is very high.’
She said most worrisome is the fact that the police have not arrested anyone in connection with the killings.
“It is the police that often go to remove the bodies of these girls where they were dumped but they have not been able to lay a trap to arrest these people or even accost one of them and this is quite worrisome because these killings have been going on for weeks” Miss Oko said
Efforts to speak with Mr Emmanuel Ishabor the Ogoja Council Chairman did not yield any result as he was said to be busy with the primary of the All Progressives Congress for the election of a flag bearer for the House of Representatves election for the area.
Ms Irene Ugbo, the Cross River Police Command spokesman said the police are on their toes trying to track down perpetrators of the killings but stated that “security is everybody’s business and as such people should volunteer and avail police with information because those doing the killings live among them or lodge in hotels there.”