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Widespread Panic Over Alleged Manhood Disappearances In Abuja
Rising anxieties surround criminal activities in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja, and various states across the federation, as there is a reported surge in the theft of male genital organs.
Recent cases highlight the unsettling trend in the North Central states, particularly Kogi, Nasarawa, Kaduna, and the nation’s capital.
Residents in the FCT have been gripped by fear for over a month, with incidents of ‘manhood stealing’ being reported, although the precise methods employed by these perpetrators remain uncertain.
This disturbing trend has resulted in the murder of individuals by enraged youths, who targeted suspects accused of causing the mysterious disappearance of male genital organs.
Various accounts circulate regarding the modus operandi of this heinous crime in the city. Some claim that a simple conversation with the alleged perpetrator can lead to the victim’s penis disappearing, while others suggest it occurs after physical contact, including a handshake.
On August 23, the Nasarawa State Police Command, emphasizing the need to avoid vigilante justice, disclosed incidents where individuals were attacked over organ theft allegations in Nasarawa Eggon, Obi, Lafia, and Keffi Local Government Areas.
Despite the allegations, the State’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ramhan Nansel, stated that medical examinations conducted on the alleged victims provided a clean bill of health, concluding that there was no basis for the accusations.
On September 20, enraged youths in Phase 2, Gwagwalada area of the FCT, lynched an unidentified young man over allegations of stealing a resident’s manhood.
Just three days later, another resident, Lucky Josiah, faced accusations of causing the disappearance of Rokeeb Saheed’s manhood. Confirming the distressing situation, Police Public Relations Officer SP Josephine Adeh stated that the command’s officers swiftly responded to a distress call reporting the lynching of a victim.
Signs suggest that some allegations of manhood theft may be false with sinister motives.
A security operative in the FCT, preferring anonymity, informed DAILY POST that many alerts raised by alleged victims were orchestrated.
He revealed that certain criminal elements deliberately create scenes in public gatherings to facilitate stealing from unsuspecting citizens in the city.
The security operative emphasized that certain miscreants in the nation’s capital are exploiting the trend of manhood theft to engage in other heinous crimes.
He said “About 80 percent of the alarms raised by these people that claim that their manhood is missing are fake. It is a new strategy to steal people’s belongings.
“Most times, what happens is that these people go to places that are crowded and then one or two of them raise the alarm that their penises are stolen. They do it just to capture attention.
“Normally, when such things occur, people tend to forget themselves and focus on what is happening, it is at that moment that other members of the gang will start stealing phones, bags, and even cars.
“By the time the alleged victims notice that the jobs have been done, you will start hearing something like, ‘my manhood is back’, back from where exactly?
“The only way out of this is that when any person raises such an alarm and it is discovered whether in the hospital or anywhere that he lied, such person should be arrested and prosecuted for raising false alarm. If the police do this to at least three persons, the trend will reduce,” he added.
Experts argue that the allegations are rooted in diabolism, lacking any scientific basis. Residents attribute the trend to ritualists, particularly internet fraudsters who might be sending individuals into the city to diabolically harvest manhoods for sacrifices to entice prospective victims.
Former federal lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, expressed concern over the increasing prevalence of claims related to manhood theft in the Federal Capital.
Senator Shehu Sani, a prominent figure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), voiced apprehension on his official X account regarding the lynching of accused thieves by mobs. He emphasized the concern that some of these individuals might be innocent.
He wrote, “The claim of manhood stealing is becoming rampant in Abuja and the lawlessness is when the accused or wrongly accused are lynched by a mob. There is no scientific basis behind such claims. It’s simply magicians at work”
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‘I Dress To Inspire Young People’ – Pastor Adegboyega Defends Lavish Lifestyle
Embattled Nigerian pastor and founder of SPAC Nation, Tobi Adegboyega, has defended his opulent lifestyle, claiming it serves to inspire young people rather than flaunt wealth.
This statement comes amid a UK Immigration Upper Tribunal ruling ordering his deportation over visa violations.
Adegboyega, 44, faced accusations of overstaying his visitor visa, which expired after he arrived in the UK in 2005.
Related News: Nigerian Pastor, Adegboyega Faces Deportation From UK Over £1.87m Fraud Allegations
He had applied to remain in the country on human rights grounds. The tribunal, however, ruled against him, citing his failure to regularize his status.
The pastor’s luxurious lifestyle, including designer clothing and expensive cars, was a focal point of the case.
Addressing the tribunal, Adegboyega stated that his lifestyle is fully funded by his wife, Mary Olubukola Alade, who earns £100,000 annually at AON.
He said, “I live with my partner, Mary Olubukola Alade, who earns £100,000 per year working for AON. I spend my time working for the church, for which I am unpaid. I am entirely supported by Mary. I have a first-class law degree from Nigeria, but I have ‘sacrificed’ my legal career to help those who cannot help themselves.”
Defending his appearance, Adegboyega emphasized the importance of projecting success to his young congregation.
The court noted, “For instance, people have pointed to the fact that he wears designer clothing and drives expensive cars. He was adamant that all of his personal possessions had been paid for by Mary.
“He believes it is important for him to dress the way that he does because he needs to inspire these young people – they need to understand that there are legitimate ways of making money, for instance through entrepreneurship.”
Despite the ruling, Adegboyega dismissed the deportation concerns as insignificant.
“I’m right here at home, no cause for alarm. Naturally, I will dismiss things that have to do with retrogression; every Nigerian should be proud of me. Living in the UK, a city that is well known for pulling people down, I have survived all sorts, so the matter that they are propagating is the smallest matter,” he said.
He further expressed confidence in his resilience. “No panic, I love London city, it is my city, and nobody can do anything. Of all the people of colour you know here – pastors and leaders – I have survived everything. I’m here, I am at home, nobody should panic for me.
“I succeeded well in this country despite all challenges, and I’m in the league of people you look up to. I have survived that well; nothing has changed, nothing will change,” he added.
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Afe Babalola Breaks Silence On Farotimi’s Arrest
Amid the growing controversy surrounding the detention of human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi, renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Aare Afe Babalola has publicly addressed the defamation allegations leveled against Farotimi.
The legal action stems from claims made in Farotimi’s book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, which Babalola asserts contains false and defamatory statements about him and his law firm, Afe Babalola & Co.
READ MORE: FCT Workers Reject January 2025 Minimum Wage Implementation Proposal
In a petition dated November 19 and submitted to the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Adeniran Akinwale, Babalola accused Farotimi of making “criminally defamatory” statements about him, his law firm, and two senior lawyers at his firm, Olu Daramola SAN and Ola Faro.
The defamatory remarks are tied to the Supreme Court case Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu & Ors v. H.R.H. Oba Tijani Akinloye & Ors.
Babalola revealed that the allegations came to light when one of his lawyers purchased Farotimi’s book while traveling through Murtala Muhammed Airport.
After reading the book, the lawyer immediately brought its contents to Babalola’s attention.
Other members of his firm reportedly did the same, prompting the senior lawyer to take legal action.
In his petition, Babalola pointed to specific passages in Farotimi’s book that accused him of corruption and unethical conduct. The petition reads:
“I write to report the criminal defamation of myself, my law firm Afe Babalola & Co., and my lawyers, Olu Daramola SAN and Ola Faro, by one Dele Farotimi in his book titled ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System’, published by Dele Farotimi Publishers, in respect of Suit No. SC/146/2005: Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu & Ors v. H.R.H. Oba Tijani Akinloye & Ors.
“Sometime on 2/11/2024, one of our lawyers, while traveling through Murtala Muhammed Airport, bought a book by Dele Farotimi titled ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System’. He read the book and immediately brought it to my attention. Many of my lawyers also bought the book and read it.”
“The defamatory statements are as follows:
- That Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the Supreme Court to procure a fraudulent judgment in the service of his client.
- That Aare Afe Babalola, Olu Daramola, Olu Faro, and the law offices of Afe Babalola & Co. (Emmanuel Chambers) compromised the Supreme Court and the remaining semblance of integrity it might have had, when they went back to the Supreme Court and got the Court to swim in the sewer of corruption and shameful self-abnegation.”
Babalola strongly denies the allegations, claiming that they are false and damaging to both his personal reputation and the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary.
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Dele Farotimi’s Book Becomes Amazon Bestseller Amid Defamation Saga
Nigerian author and activist Dele Farotimi’s book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, has surged to bestseller status on Amazon amid a legal battle with prominent lawyer and businessman, Afe Babalola.
The controversy surrounding the book has captivated public attention, driving both online and offline demand.
The book, which critiques systemic corruption in Nigeria’s judiciary and highlights alleged misconduct by key legal figures, saw modest sales following its release in July 2024.
Related News: NBA Demands Release Of Dele Farotimi, Condemns Police Actions
However, Farotimi’s arrest on Tuesday, following a petition filed by the 93-year-old Babalola, triggered a wave of public curiosity.
By Thursday evening, it had climbed to the top of Amazon’s bestseller rankings, according to checks by Vanguard. Bookstores across Nigeria also reported a significant uptick in demand.
Biztellers reports that Farotimi was detained in Lagos by armed police officers and transported to Ado Ekiti, about 300 kilometers northeast of the city, where Babalola is based.
The senior lawyer alleged that the book accused him of compromising Nigeria’s judiciary—a claim that has sparked heated debates about freedom of speech and accountability in the legal profession.
On Wednesday, Farotimi was arraigned in an Ekiti court, where the judge ordered his remand pending a bail hearing scheduled for December 10.
Farotimi’s legal team has vowed to contest the charges, framing the case as an attack on intellectual freedom.