Anambra State Government has refuted a widely circulated rumor that it hired traditional spiritualists to help the state tackle crime.

The story that the State administration had engaged traditional spiritualists was called incorrect and deceptive in a statement by the governor’s press secretary, Christian Aburime.

Aburime asserts that the state administration only gave the go-ahead for the registration of traditional medicine practitioners in order to identify those who assist and shield the state’s terrorizing criminals.

However, he added that this important action is being taken by the administration as part of its proactive and all-encompassing measures to reduce insecurity in the State.

“The Anambra State Government’s attention has been attracted to various malicious articles and false comments concerning the State enlisting Traditional Spiritualists to battle insecurity,” the statement adds.

“While it is well known that the government cannot combat insecurity on its own, it is interesting to note that the rumor that the Anambra State Government had employed traditional spiritualists to do so is untrue, as spread by some troublemakers.

“The Anambra State Executive Council (ANSEC) has approved the registration of Traditional Medicine Practitioners and the classification of them under Herbalists and Spiritualists with a view to identifying those among them that support and protect criminals, according to what the State Government has said as explained by the Commissioner of Information, Sir Paul Nwosu.

The Commissioner unequivocally declared in his speech to the media: “Government has learned that some indigenous doctors give charms with which gunmen operate, thus it has become imperative to enumerate and register them as practitioners, categorize them as herbalists and spiritualists:

The Commissioner continued, “While the government appreciates the fact that some of them add value to health care, it is also aware that some of them also have helped to infuse these criminals with the daredevil confidence that has driven them to commit despicable crimes like kidnapping, extortion of ransom, beheading, etc.

“He also said that it will be simple to remove them off the registry after the registration process if they are found guilty of such crimes.

“It is abundantly obvious from the foregoing that the government is taking this crucial move as part of its proactive and all-encompassing measures to reduce insecurity in the State.

“As a result, it is utterly untrue and unjustified to report that the State Government has hired Traditional Spiritualists to combat insecurity.

“Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo would keep trying all in his power to make sure that Anambra State’s sanity, peace, and law and order are completely restored.”