JUST IN: Anambra High Court Sentences Akwa Okuku Tiwaraki na Oba to 11 Months’ Imprisonment

A High Court sitting in Awka has sentenced Chidozie Nwangwu, widely known as Akwa Okuku Tiwaraki na Oba, to 11 months’ imprisonment following his guilty plea in a case involving prohibited ritual practices and the preparation of charms allegedly used by criminals.

Nwangwu, a traditional healer from Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area, had been facing prosecution under the Anambra Homeland Security Law for activities connected to Okeite and the production of spiritual charms believed to support individuals engaged in unlawful conduct. Authorities linked the practices to rising insecurity and organised criminality in parts of the state.

The court ordered that Nwangwu serve 11 months at the Awka Correctional Center. Upon release, he is to be appointed as an Ambassador for Youth Re‑Orientation, tasked with educating young people against harmful spiritual practices. His oba shrine is to be destroyed, he is prohibited from practising Okeite or administering related charms, and he must issue a public statement denouncing Okeite and similar ritual practices upon completing his prison term.

The case stems from a broader security operation launched by the Anambra State Government aimed at dismantling networks accused of supplying charms and ritual paraphernalia to individuals involved in kidnapping, robbery, and other serious crimes. Nwangwu, along with two others, was arrested by the state’s security outfit in early 2025 and arraigned on charges including alleged involvement in “money ritual,” Oke Ite, and the preparation of charms for suspected criminals.