Metro

Men Walk With Bitter Kola, Alligator Pepper As Fear Grips Calabar Residents Over Genitals’ ‘Disappearance’

Published

2 years ago

September 16, 2023

Apprehension, anxiety and palpable fear have gripped the residents of Calabar, Cross River State capital over preponderance of claims of disappearance of male private organs.

In the past two weeks, what started as rumour in distant lands has gradually crept into many homes in the city as no one would claim not to have known someone whose private organ has been harvested after a mere handshake or body contact with strangers.

The questions agitating the minds of many people are: who are those responsible for the disappearance of male genitals, for what purpose and what is the fate of those who claim their private organs have disappeared? Are these claims true or the people are just raising dust to cause mayhem in the city?

The Cross River State Government has come out with a statement signed by its Commissioner for Information, Erasmus Ekpang saying such claims were not true. The state government’s position was corroborated by the Cross River State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Ms Irene Ugbo who said such claims were the handiwork of mischief makers and called on members of the public to go about their businesses without fear.

The residents were however not ready to take the police and the state government by their word as every few hours, there was uproar in one part of the town or the other over disappearance of a male private organ.

Over fifteen cases were said to have taken place in virtually all parts of the town with some organs being restored to the victims by the perpetrators while some were said not to have been restored.

A spare parts dealer, Chibuike, told 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.”

Mob action

A dramatic episode of the incident occurred along the Goodluck Jonathan bypass in the outskirts of the city.

It was reported that the timely arrival of the police saved the situation at the scene where an angry mob had gathered to lynch two young men after one man claimed his penis and testicles had disappeared after handshake with the duo.

Witnesses at the scene said when the man felt his penis had disappeared, he immediately raised an alarm and removed his trousers and what he saw left him dismayed. “What he saw was smaller than a grain of rice and there were no testicles too,” Jeremiah, one of the witnesses said.

A similar incident at Nyanghasang community in Calabar Municipal led to a Police raid which caused a reprisal attack by the community. A Police van was damaged and an entertainer, Kandy Umoh was among those arrested.

Whether it was fake news or the claim was true, most male residents are now carrying bitter kola and alligator pepper in their pockets which were said to serve as protection to ward off any attempt to snatch their genitals.

But curiously, some residents said this protection did not work.

A resident told Vanguard, that “my friend whose organ disappeared filled his pocket with bitter kola and alligator pepper.”

VANGUARD

Metro

Police Bust Kidnap Ring, Rescue 23 Foreigners, Arrest 14 Suspects Near Abuja

Published

7 hours ago

November 1, 2025

Editor

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has dismantled a transnational kidnapping syndicate that demanded N230 million ransom from foreign nationals lured into Nigeria under the guise of lucrative job offers.

Operatives of the command’s Scorpion Squad launched the sting operation around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at Angwan Adamu Ruga Fulani Zone B, Riverside, Ado Mararaba, Nasarawa State, a border community near Abuja.

Fourteen suspected kidnappers were arrested and 23 foreign nationals rescued in the process.

According to police findings, the victims, all West African nationals, were deceived into travelling to Nigeria by a criminal network posing as employment recruiters.

Upon arrival, the victims were held captive, and the kidnappers demanded ransom from their families via WhatsApp and other online platforms.

FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said on Friday that investigations identified the ringleader as Abubakar Jigiba, a suspected notorious cross-border criminal with known residences in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali and Nigeria.

The syndicate, she explained, demanded four million CFA francs (about N10 million) per person, a total ransom demand of N230 million.

Adeh confirmed that efforts are ongoing to track down the principal suspect, Abubakar Jigiba, and his brother, Sougule Zoubere, both of whom remain at large.

She said: “In a major breakthrough against kidnapping and human trafficking, operatives of the FCT Police Command’s Scorpion Squad have successfully arrested fourteen (14) suspected kidnappers and rescued twenty-three (23) victims, all foreign nationals, from captivity.

“The intelligence-led operation took place at about 8 p.m. on Tuesday, 21st October 2025, at Angwan Adamu Ruga Fulani Zone B, Riverside, Ado Mararaba, Nasarawa State.

“The operation followed a report indicating that several foreign nationals had been lured into Nigeria under the pretext of lucrative job offers. Upon arrival, they were held hostage by their abductors, who demanded ransom payments from their families via WhatsApp and other online platforms.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the syndicate is coordinated by one Abubakar Jigiba, a transnational criminal kingpin with known residences in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali and Nigeria. His younger brother, Sougule Zoubere, handles the recruitment, kidnapping and smuggling of victims from Mali into Nigeria, where they are detained pending ransom payments. The group demanded four million CFA (N10,000,000) for each victim.

“Further investigations revealed that the victims were trafficked into the country through illegal border routes in a journey lasting about three days. They were subsequently confined in two fortified two-bedroom apartments under inhumane conditions.

“Acting on actionable digital and reconstructive intelligence, the Scorpion Squad traced the hideout to the above address, where a total of twenty-three (23) victims — fourteen (14) males, eight (8) females and one (1) child — were rescued unhurt, except one who sustained a minor ear injury and has been taken to the National Hospital, Abuja, for treatment.”

Metro

Woman Begs Court Not To Grant Husband’s Prayer For Divorce

Published

7 hours ago

November 1, 2025

Editor

A housewife, Fauziya Ibrahim, has begged an Area Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, not to grant her husband, Hamza Musbau’s prayer of divorce.

She told the court that she does not want her marriage dissolved.

“I have been married to my husband for 16 years and I want to remain in this marriage,” she told the court.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),Earlier, Hamza prayed for divorce on grounds of lack of love and affection.

The judge, Mr Toyin Aluko, said that on the strength of the provisions of the Holy Quran, Almighty Allah allows a wife to seek for settlement, just as divorce is allowed.

He, therefore, advised Fauziya to try her best to make peace and settle any misunderstanding between them.

Aluko adjourned the case.

Metro

Woman Seeks Divorce Over Alleged Abandonment, Abuse

Published

8 hours ago

November 1, 2025

Editor

A married woman, Love Thomas, has dragged her husband, Joshua, before an upper Customary Court sitting in Kaduna, Kaduna State, over alleged abandonment and violence.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the complainant’s lawyer, Victoria Omajawu prayed the court to dissolve their marriage on the grounds of abandonment.

She also prayed the court to restrain the defendant from threatening and disturbing her client’s peace or tranquility.

The defendant was however not in court.

The judge, Mrs Patience Musa, adjourned the case.