Manhood Disappearance Claim Leads to Rights Concerns and Police Investigation

A viral video shows a man being beaten and questioned over a claim of "manhood disappearance" in Rivers State. This incident has raised worries about mob justice, vigilante actions, and how police handle superstition-based accusations.

The event took place on Monday in Igwuruta, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers. The Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) condemned the situation. They called the allegation baseless and demanded that those who attacked the man be prosecuted.

According to a video shared by Oriental Times, a vigilante group called the Onelga Security Peace and Advisory Committee (OSPAC) caught a man named Daso. Another man accused Daso of making his genitals disappear after begging him for money.

In the video, Daso had his hands tied with rope. He was questioned by men who are believed to be OSPAC members. One interrogator asked where he was from. When Daso said he was from Okrika, he was confronted with the claim that he came to Igwuruta to make another man "lose his penis." Daso denied the accusation repeatedly.

A local advocate who knows about the incident told AfAW that the accuser grabbed Daso at the Igwuruta roundabout. He claimed that his genitals vanished after touching Daso. The accusation drew a crowd, which started beating Daso until OSPAC members intervened.

Instead of protecting Daso, the vigilante officials tied him up, questioned him, and physically assaulted him to force him to confess. AfAW reported that Daso got injuries on his head and his clothes were torn during this ordeal.

The accuser told OSPAC members that even though his genitals were still there, they had shrunk and stopped working. He said this was due to supernatural actions by Daso.

AfAW stated that both the accuser and Daso were taken to a nearby police station later. The group mentioned that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) was not present when they arrived. Daso was detained while the accuser was allowed to leave.

The next day, the DPO interviewed both men. He told them the police do not look into mystical or magical issues. He warned them that if they did not resolve the matter, it could go to court.

When PREMIUM TIMES reached out to the Rivers State Police Command, they confirmed that officers stepped in after hearing about the incident. The police spokesperson, Blessing Agabe, said officers saved Daso from a mob attack.

"When the police got wind of the matter, they went in and rescued the man from mob action. When the police got there, he was already seriously beaten. So, the police had to rescue him," Ms Agabe, an assistant superintendent of police, said.

When asked if the accuser was required to prove his claims and if those involved in the attack, including the vigilante members, would be questioned, Ms Agabe said the case is still under investigation. "Just as I said, police are still investigating the matter," she added.

In a statement signed by its director, Leo Igwe, AfAW condemned both the claim and the treatment of Daso. The organization said that claims of magical genital theft have no scientific or legal basis and often lead to false accusations, mob violence, and abuse of human rights.

"He who alleges must prove. The burden of proof of penis theft is with the accuser, not the accused," the group stated. They called for the arrest and prosecution of the accuser for raising a false alarm and inciting violence.

AfAW also urged authorities to investigate and prosecute OSPAC members and anyone else involved in assaulting Daso. They criticized the decision to detain Daso, saying that there was no criminal offense.

The organization said it would assess the accuser's claims and send legal help to assist Daso's release. PREMIUM TIMES tried to contact OSPAC using a phone number listed on their official Facebook page. An individual confirmed it was an OSPAC line. However, after the reporter introduced himself, the caller ended the conversation and did not respond to further calls.