There has been a growing trend of male individuals making allegations of their penis been stolen in public places in Makurdi metropolis and its environs.
In some of the incidents, those accused have been severely beaten by angry mob and humiliated in viral videos circulated on social media platforms.
Some of the incidents include the instance at Balcony Junction, where a said pastor and his member were accused of stealing a young man’s genital organ in which the accused persons were beaten and stripped off their clothes.
Another incident was in modern market where the allegation was leveled against a woman who was also humiliated, and most recently, a man identified as a Lecturer at Akawe Torkula Polytechnic Makurdi, was beaten along new Makurdi -Otukpo road the same allegation of a missing male genital.
Our correspondent, Benjamin Ngutsav who has been monitoring the trend reports how the people feel and the measures to address it.
A second-hand cloth seller along Makurdi -Gboko Road, Ndubisi Oketa, argued that missing genital is real, saying he witnessed an incident in Wurukum Market where a missing male genital organ was returned and called for the deployment of security operatives in market and public places where such incidences are prone.
A motorcyclist, Francis Odum, opined that people who spiritually steal male genitals used them for ritual purposes to make quick wealth for themselves.
For Kene Kenneth, a Makurdi-based journalist, the trend is as a ploy by criminals to steal from unsuspecting members of the public, attributing economic hardship as a factor for the criminal activity and called on the police to pay special attention to the issue.
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Commenting, a Urologist at the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Professor Edwin Ogwuche, explained that the issue of missing male genital organ is an acute mental disorder called koro syndrome, where people belief their sex organs are shrinking into their body.
Koro syndrome is a multi-tiered disease presenting as an overwhelming belief that one’s sex organs are shrinking into their body. Moderate to severe anxiety attacks are associated with the condition, along with a fear of imminent death.
According to the Urologist, there has never been a time where a case of missing genital was certified at the hospital, advising the public to always request the supposed victim to expose his genital to verify if truly it is missing.
He also stated that the penis is a shy organ therefore expecting to rise in market or other public places is difficult.
Meanwhile, the Benue State Police Command had in a recent statement issued by its Spokesperson, SP Sewuese Anene warned the public against raising false alarms of theft of genital organ and mob actions.
