Cross River: Ritual killings resurface ahead of 2027 elections

•The lady allegedly murdered in a hotel room along Clifford Lane, Calabar.

By Emma Una

Observations over the last 11 years have shown that in Cross River State, cases of alleged ritual killings tend to increase as general elections draw near, with women accounting for more than 90 per cent of the reported victims. Our Correspondent, Emma Una, highlights the ugly trend in the last  decade. 

Since 2015, when the ugly trend reportedly began, several women have been killed, yet no alleged ritualist has been apprehended or any suspect arrested in connection with the killings. In many of the cases, the killers appear to leave little or no trail, while the victims are stripped of items or identifying details that could help investigators unravel the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

With the 2027 elections approaching, there are already reported instances of women being found dead, with some of their vital body parts allegedly missing.

The most recent case was the brutal murder of a woman at a guest house along Clifford Lane, Calabar South, on September 7, 2026. Her killer or killers allegedly removed anything that could provide investigators with a lead. To make matters worse, the hotel receptionist reportedly failed to record the personal details of the man with whom the woman allegedly checked into the hotel that night.When the man reportedly left the following morning, no one noticed him or could provide a useful description of his appearance.

Some months earlier, another woman was killed in a hotel in Yahe, Yala Local Government Area, in the northern part of the state. She was allegedly lured to the hotel, but hotel staff reportedly failed to obtain the details of the man who accompanied her.

In neighbouring Ogoja, another girl was reportedly lured to the outskirts of the town along the Ogoja-Katsina Ala road, where she was killed. Her private parts, tongue and other vital body parts were allegedly harvested before her body was abandoned by the roadside.

In Ikom, a woman was killed along the Ikom-Obudu road, with her breast and tongue reportedly cut off. The killing generated widespread outrage in the area, but after the initial uproar, nothing concrete emerged from the investigation.

Again, at Satellite Town, close to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, a woman was found dead and abandoned by the roadside. These are among the killings that have become known to the public. Yet, according to available accounts, none of the cases has resulted in the arrest of a suspect.

In the latest incident, the Police appealed to members of the public to help identify the victim. In a statement, the Cross River State Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Eitokpah, said:

“The Cross River State Police Command wishes to provide an update on the ongoing investigation on the suspected homicide of an unidentified female guest at a hotel along Clifford Lane, Calabar South, earlier reported by the Police in its press release of 8 September, 2026.”

He said preliminary investigations revealed that the deceased lodged at the hotel alongside a male guest whose whereabouts remained under investigation.

According to him, efforts were ongoing to locate the man to establish the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death.

The series of deaths has raised concern among residents and observers, particularly because the victims are predominantly young women.

Some observers, however, have also expressed concern about the circumstances in which some of the victims reportedly meet the men who later become their last known companions.

They argued that some women fail to inform friends or relatives about their movements or where they are going, making it difficult for families to raise the alarm or assist investigators when something goes wrong.

“Ladies are too much in a hurry to hook up with people who lure them with flashy things. They fail to understand the present times where people are desperate for wealth,” Eyobam told NDV.

As the 2027 elections draw closer, the latest incidents have revived fears among residents that a disturbing pattern of unexplained killings could once again be taking shape across the state.

For the families of the victims, however, the most troubling question remains unanswered: who are the killers, and why have they continued to escape justice?