Nassarawa State, Nigeria – The Esu Karu of Karu, Nassarawa State, Luka Payan, along with security agents, have issued a stern warning to residents of Karu, urging them to refrain from taking the law into their own hands and avoid engaging in any form of ‘jungle justice.’
This message came during a meeting that involved security agents, traditional rulers, community leaders, religious leaders, as well as motorcycle and tricycle (keke) association leaders. The meeting was convened following a series of bizarre incidents related to the alleged theft of genitals in the Karu region.
Over the past three weeks, reports of stolen genitals have surfaced in areas such as Karu, Masaka, Ado, New Nyanya, and most recently in Sharp Corner, where an alleged suspect and his car were set ablaze by an enraged mob.
Esu Luka Payan emphasized that his primary responsibility is to ensure the safety and well-being of his subjects, as leadership is meant to foster peace and foster community development. He urged all stakeholders to avoid resorting to vigilantism and ‘jungle justice.’
He stated, “We have a duty to talk to our people so we know how to manage these issues of stolen genitals, so we don’t take laws into our hands. I urge every representative, especially the chairman of the motorcycle/tricycle riders association, to pass the message to their people. There is no society that is free of crime, but there are ways to handle these through security agencies, not jungle justice because anybody can be affected.”
Prince Jatau, a security agent, called for the sensitization of the rural population and emphasized that no form of jungle justice would be tolerated in the community. He expressed concerns that if the current situation is not properly managed, it could escalate into religious or ethnic conflicts, given Karu’s proximity to the Federal Capital Territory.
Jatau also cautioned against raising false alarms, noting that anyone found at the scene of a jungle justice incident would also be subject to legal action.
The Police Area Commander in charge of Karu, Francis Obigwa, acknowledged that the issue of alleged stolen genitals, which had been medically disproven, was becoming overwhelming. He stated that arrests had been made in connection with the case, and both the suspect and the victims would face charges in court. Obigwa also highlighted that some individuals were exploiting the trending issue to commit various crimes, and the police are closely monitoring and responding to such incidents.
The Chairman of the Motorcycle/Tricycle Riders Association, Bahago Na’Allah, assured the Esu and security agents that the association was working to ensure that its members behaved in an orderly manner and refrained from resorting to vigilante justice. This meeting represents an effort to address the recent spate of vigilante actions in response to the unusual incidents involving allegations of stolen genitals in the region.