Native Doctor Arrested In Enugu After Discovery Of Nearly 500 Alleged Ritual Padlocks At Shrine

The Enugu State Ministry of Culture and Tourism has transferred a native doctor to the state police command after authorities uncovered nearly 500 padlocks at his shrine, allegedly linked to fetish and diabolical practices.

The suspect was apprehended on Saturday in a community within the Aninri Local Government Area during a joint operation by ministry officials and operatives of the police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) squad.

Sources within the ministry revealed that the raid was prompted by reports of sinister activities at the shrine. Upon gaining entry, officials were reportedly confronted with a massive collection of padlocks, which are traditionally believed to be used in ritualistic "locking" of individuals' fortunes or biological functions.

"Upon discovery of the hundreds of padlocks in his shrine, he was subsequently asked to unlock them, but he vehemently refused," a source told SaharaReporters.

"The padlocks were suspected to have been used to lock up people's destinies and women’s wombs. He has been handed over to the state police command and he will be prosecuted."

While the arrest in Aninri was linked to criminal diabolism, the ministry indicated that a broader crackdown on traditional practitioners is looming, though for different reasons.

The source clarified that while this specific arrest was due to the "destiny-locking" allegations, other native doctors across the state may soon face the law over tax evasion.

"We are going to arrest native doctors when the government finalises the taxes and levies they would be paying to the government and they do not pay. But for this particular arrest, it is for this native doctor in Aninri," the official added.

A video clip circulating on X (formerly Twitter) shows a bus belonging to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism accompanied by dozens of armed police officers returning from a community with several individuals in custody.

Despite the visual evidence and ministry confirmation, the Enugu State Police Command has remained tight-lipped.

Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to phone calls or text messages as of the time of filing this report.

The move marks a significant escalation in the Enugu State government’s oversight of traditional medicine practitioners, blending criminal investigations into occult practices with a new drive for internal revenue generation.