Anambra demolishes jailed native doctor's shrine

The Anambra State Government has demolished a shrine belonging to the jailed native doctor in Oba, a community in Idemili South Local Government Area of the state.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that a high court in Awka, Anambra State, sentenced the native doctor, Chidozie Nwangwu, popularly known as “Akwaokuko Tiwara Aki,” to 12 years imprisonment on Friday for preparing charms for criminals and engaging in other ritual activities.

The trial Judge, Justice Jude Obiora, had ordered that the convicted native doctor’s two-year imprisonment for each of the six counts against him, totalling 12 years, should run concurrently, bringing the jail term to two years.

Mr Obiora subsequently held that, having spent 13 months in prison before the conviction, the native doctor would now serve for only 11 months in a prison facility in Awka.

The judge further ruled that the convict’s shrine located in Oba should be demolished and that the demolition be recorded on video.

Demolition

Law Mefor, the commissioner for information in Anambra State, in a post on his Facebook page on Friday evening, said the demolition was carried out in line with the court judgement.

Mr Mefor uploaded on his Facebook post a video clip which showed officials of the state government setting several fetish items in the shrine ablaze.

“Following his 11-month sentence and court order, the Anambra State Government has moved to enforce the law.

“The Oba shrine linked to the production of charms and criminal activities has been destroyed in line with court judgement,” he wrote.

The commissioner vowed that, henceforth, there would be no haven for criminals in Anambra.

“No place for fake or evil native doctors, fake pastors; those who claim there’s wealth without work. No peace for the wicked,” he added.

PREMIUM TIMES subsequently obtained another video clip which showed the shrine being demolished by an excavator, hours after the fetish items, including pots, were set ablaze.

Background

In January 2025, Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State signed the Anambra State Homeland Security Bill 2025 into law.

The law, aside from creating the Agunechemba vigilante group, banned the making of charms for the commission of crime and the performance of sacrifices along roads in the state.

It was targeted at native doctors who prepare charms for criminals terrorising residents of the South-eastern state.