The disappearance of male private parts has sparked outrage in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State.
Over the last three weeks, over 15 men in the city have apparently lost their manhood to unidentified ritualists.
According to witnesses who claim to know someone whose private organ has been harvested, the disappearances occur following a simple handshake or physical contact with strangers.
Many people are wondering who is responsible for the loss of male genitals, for what reason, and what will happen to those who claim their private organs have vanished. Are these reports accurate, or are those involved just stirring up trouble in the city?
The Cross River State Government issued a statement signed by its Commissioner for Information, Erasmus Ekpang, denying such assertions. Ms Irene Ugbo, Public Relations Officer for the Cross River State Police Command, echoed the state government’s position, saying such reports were the product of mischief makers and urging members of the public to go about their business without worry.
Residents were hesitant to believe the police and the state government since every few hours, there was a commotion in one part of town or another over the loss of a male private organ.
A spare parts dealer, Chibuike, told Saturday Vanguard that “an organ was said to be sold for six hundred thousand naira last week but owing to market forces and high demand, the price has gone up to one million per organ”.
According to him, “the organs are used for ritual purposes to make money and anyone whose genital is stolen would die a few days after. More people will fall victim if something drastic is not done by the authorities to stop the ugly state of events in the city.
“Men now put bitter kola and alligator pepper in their pockets or hold their private organs tightly while walking on the street or inside commercial vehicles. The price of bitter kola has also gone up because of the high demand.”
Cases of organ disappearance were said to have occurred at Atimbo, Nyahasang, Moore Road, Satellite Town, Ekpo Abasi, 8 Miles, Watt Market, Atakpa/ Mayne Avenue and some other places in the city.
A resident of Calabar South, Blessing Ngi, said, “it happened in my area, State Avenue by Afokang this morning. Someone lost his penis and it took severe beating of the snatcher before he restored the organ.”
A major episode of the tragedy occurred on the outskirts of the city, along the Goodluck Jonathan bypass.
The prompt arrival of the police rescued the situation at the scene where an angry mob had assembled to lynch two young guys after one man claimed his penis and testicles had vanished after a handshake with the duo.
According to witnesses, when the man noticed his penis was vanished, he quickly raised an alert and removed his trousers, and what he saw shocked him.
“What he saw was smaller than a grain of rice and there were no testicles too,” Jeremiah, one of the witnesses said.
