AWKA, Nigeria — A popular Anambra native doctor, Onyeze Jesus, has been sentenced to six years in prison and fined N20 million for misleading the public with supernatural claims and engaging in practices outlawed under the state’s Homeland Security Law.
The Anambra State High Court, presided over by Justice Jude Obiorah, convicted the native doctor on multiple counts, including the unlawful practice of Okeite and Ezenwanyi, which are ritual practices associated with money rituals and other criminal activities. The court ruled that such practices are illegal under the Anambra Homeland Security Law, which was enacted to sanitise traditional practices and curb the influence of criminal native doctors in the state.
The conviction follows a series of arrests and prosecutions of native doctors in Anambra State, as part of Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s broader campaign to restore moral values and combat the “get-rich-quick” mentality that has taken root among the youth. The law, which targets ritual practitioners involved in kidnapping and violent crime, imposes strict penalties, including six years in prison and a fine of N20 million for those found guilty.
Onyeze Jesus was among several native doctors arrested in February 2025 by operatives of the Agunechemba Security Outfit, following the launch of the state’s new security architecture. The government’s crackdown on native doctors has been part of a broader effort to dismantle criminal networks that rely on ritual practices for protection and wealth.
In addition to the prison sentence and fine, the court ordered the destruction of the native doctor’s shrine and required him to publicly renounce his ritual practices. The convict has also been appointed as a youth reorientation ambassador, tasked with cautioning young people against seeking wealth through supernatural means.
