Metro

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

Published

7 months 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

Court Stops Rivers Govt From Withholding LG Allocations

Published

19 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Editor

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, stopped the Rivers State Government from withholding financial allocations of the 42 Local Government areas in the state, pending the determination of a suit that was brought before it.

The court, in a ruling Friday, ordered the local government Chairmen in the state and nine others, who had filed the suit to maintain status quo, pending the determination of the matter.

The ruling followed an ex-parte application in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/537/2024, argued by Mr. Aliyu Hussein, counsel to the plaintiffs.

Cited as plaintiffs in the matter are: Dr Chidi LLoyd, Chairman, Emohua Local Government, Hon Alwell Ihunda, Chairman, Port Harcourt Local Government, Dr Nwanosike Samuel, Ikwerre Local Government Area; Barrister George Ariolu, Chairman, Obio-Akpor Local Government; Dr Obbinna Anyawu, Chairman, Etchi Local Government Area; and Hon Chidorom Nwaiwu, Chairman, Omuma Local Government Area.

Others include Dr Hope Ikiriko, Chairman of Ahoada West Local Government Area; Barrister Benjamin Isreal Eke, Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government; and Dr Roland Sekibo, Chairman of Akuku-Toru LGA.

The presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, stopped the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Police Commissioner in Rivers, Director General, State Security Service, SSS and its Director, who were cited as defendants in the matter, from withdrawing the security personnel of the LG Chairmen, pending the final resolution of their motion on notice.

Justice Omotosho held that the Rivers State Government should not frustrate or prevent the LG Chairmen from discharging their duties and rendering services to their respective councils till the determination of the suit.

The plaintiffs approached the court, praying for an order of interim injunction to restrain the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Rivers State Government, Attorney General of Rivers and Commissioner for Finance, from withholding the revenue accrued to them.

They also sought an order from the court to restrain the IGP, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers, the SSS, its Director, and the AGF, from withdrawing the security personnel attached to them.

They equally prayed the court to prohibit the defendants from preventing the enforcement or implementation of the newly amended Rivers State Local Government Law N:5 of 2024 pending the determination of the motion.

In a 33-paragraph affidavit in support of the application deposed to by Dr Chidi LLoyd, Chairman of Emohua Local Government, the Chairmen claimed to have been duly elected in a democratically conducted election for a term of three years under the provisions of the Rivers State Local Government Law.

They asserted that they are autonomous and constitutionally recognised as one of the tiers of the government, adding that the Rivers State House of Assembly enacted the Rivers State Amended Law to guide their affairs and activities.

They claimed that the Rivers State Government, AG and Finance Commissioner, who are not happy with the amended law, have approached the IGP, CP, DG SSS and Director SSS, seeking the withdrawal of policing and other security services from them to frustrate the implementation of the amended law.

The Chairmen alleged that the Police Commissioner in the state, who has the responsibility to advise the IGP on the policing and security needs of Rivers State, is under substantial control of the Rivers State Government and would implement the directive of the state government.

They held that it would be impossible for them to carry out their respective functions and duties without the policing and security services of the IGP.

They prayed the court to restrain the defendants, especially the Rivers State Government, from taking the law into their hands.

In his ruling, Justice Omotoso ordered all parties in the suit to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction.

The judge warned that no party should take any step that would make the motion on notice nugatory.

“The plaintiffs are hereby ordered to serve the motion on notice seeking an interlocutory injunction on the defendants to enable them to have the opportunity to respond to the same.

“That this matter is adjourned to the 2nd day of May 2024 for the hearing of the motion on notice,” the court held.

PUNCH

Metro

Two Fake Police Inspectors Arrested In Edo

Published

20 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Editor

Men of the Edo State Police Command have paraded two fake police inspectors arrested in connection with illicit drugs valued at N20 million in the state.

The Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, who disclosed this to newsmen in Benin City, said they were among the five-man criminal gang specialized in dealing in illicit drugs.

He gave the names of the two fake police officers as Alex Akaeze, 39, and Kadiri Hassan, 45.

He also listed other members of the gang including Ovie Samuel, 46; Stanley Itota, 45; and Felix Oputi, 46.

Adegboye explained that the suspects were arrested by operatives of the Command’s Intelligence and Rapid Response Squad at a guest house operated by ome Samuel at No 5, Colobus Street, off Upper Mission Extension Road, Benin City.

He added that the illicit drug called ‘ice’ weighed 1,080 kilograms with a street value of N20 million.

He said that investigation was ongoing and that the suspects would soon be charged to court.

When interrogated, one of the suspects, Akaeze, said he was enlisted into the Police Force in 2009.

Akaeze, who insisted he is a Police Inspectorz added that he was transferred to Zamfara State from AIG Zone 2, Lagos State.

According to him: “I am an Inspector of Police. I was enlisted in 2009, I started in Ketu, and from there to SARS. I was transferred to Zamfara, but I did not go.

“I worked myself back to Zone 2, and from there I was transferred to Lagos State Command, from where we were later transferred to Alagbon in September last year, but we were yet to report for duty there.

“These two officers [Command operatives] are our colleagues, we worked together in IRT, I have their phone numbers and I called them before I came down from Lagos and I told them that I had an urgent arrest to make and wanted them to follow us and they agreed.

“Although I told them that I still serve at Alagbon, I didn’t tell them the truth that we have not reported for duty there. We were with them in their office yesterday and they led us to make the arrest. We were however surprised that they suddenly changed it for us and arrested us with the drug dealers” he said

On his part, Kadiri Hassan, who also insisted he is a Police Inspector, added that he joined the Police Force in 2008.

He also disclosed that he was yet to report to duty at Alagbon when he was transferred in February this year.

Ovie Samuel, who procured the hard drug, denied knowledge of the trade.

“The people called me and said that they needed ice and I called my brother in Delta State to bring it for them, only for them to reveal their real identities that they are policemen” he stated

Metro

JUST IN: Oyo LG Polls: Hoodlums Attack Electoral Officials, Snatch Ballot Papers [PHOTO]

Published

1 day ago

April 26, 2024

Editor

Hoodlums suspected to be political thugs have reportedly snatched ballot papers meant to be used for local government elections in Kajola Local Government Area of Oyo state.

DAILY POST gathered that the ballot papers were hijacked by the hoodlums in the early hours of Friday.

The ballot papers are to be used in the local government election slated for Saturday.

The Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission, OYSIEC, is conducting the election in all the 33 local government areas in the state.

A source noted that the snatched ballot papers have been recovered from the suspects.

He added that about 14 suspects have been arrested.

The source who bagged not to be named, also revealed that the affected ballot papers have been taken back to Ibadan.

OYSIEC Chairman, Isiaka Olagunju, when contacted, confirmed the attack on electoral officials.

He, however, said that no ballot paper was snatched.

Olagunju, in a telephone conversation with DAILY POST on Friday, maintained that the Divisional Police Officer in the town has been mandated to arrest the suspects.

“That is not true. The fact is that there was an attack on our officials last night.

“Our officials were attacked at our office at Okeho. No ballot paper was snatched.

“In fact, the DPO of Okeho and other security agencies followed our EO to come back to Ibadan. They just went back to Okeho now. And we have directed the DPO of Okeho to arrest the suspects. That is what happened.”