Fear of impotency

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33417, 26 December 1973, Page 10

Fear of impotency

(N.Z. Press Assn. —Copyright) LAGOS, Dec. 25. African mobs are reported to have killed two more men yesterday, as fear of sorcerers with power to make men impotent continues to grip northern Nigeria. These killings bring to 17 the total number of deaths, including that of a woman, reported since the impotency rumours began to sweep the north tw'o weeks ago. I It was announced today in Kaduna that 45 men had been arrested claiming, apparently! falsely, that they had been; made impotent.. All were; medically examined. and; were found fit. The North Central State ! Police Commissioner (Mr Joseph Adeola) told a press conference today that what was happening in the north was “mad action, based on the pure superstition that impotency can be caused by a mere handshake, or a touch on the shoulder. “In one case,” he said, “a mob killed a woman after (she had accidentally flashed a torchlight on a man who immediately began crying, complaining that he had been made impotent. “A prominent Lagos

businessman, Alhapi Ibrahim Imam, was among those killed.”

Mr Adeola gave a warning that the police would show no sympathy with alarmists, and reminded the public that the police had orders to shoot on sight anyone killing or burning other people. “The situation in which innocent people are being killed is burning in my heart.’’