Residents of the Lugbe Area of Abuja have mobbed two people after they were accused of genital theft.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, October 9, 2023, in the Zone 9 area of the community.
The ICIR gathered that a resident, Abdulrasheed Jeje, raised an alarm claiming that his genital was missing after having contact with two young men who asked him for directions in the area.
“The two young men approached him and asked him for directions to a school (name withheld). One of them touched him, and his penis disappeared,” Abdulwasiu, one of the people at the scene, said.
It was gathered that the two young men fled the scene after Abdulrasheed raised the alarm but were chased by the residents.
They were nabbed and beaten up by the angry residents before the intervention of local security operatives, also known as vigilantes.
The ‘victim’ and accused were taken to the Police Station at Zone 4, Lugbe, where they were subsequently taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi.
It is expected that medical experts will examine the situation and give reports of their findings to the Police.
Cases of genital theft alarms have increased in Nigeria’s capital – Abuja. They occur mainly in areas dominated by low-income earners. There have been no confirmed cases that it really occurs.
On October 3, The ICIR reported the Police warning against false alarm on the issue after arresting 14.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.
MICHAEL GODWIN