Chaos erupted on Saturday morning at Ikoku Market in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, when local businesspeople arrived to find a body with machete wounds.
The Rivers State Police Command, which confirmed the incident, reported that initial investigations suggest the deceased, known to be involved in criminal activities, may have been lynched.
Authorities also noted that the man’s genital area appeared mutilated, raising suspicions that he might have been killed for ritualistic purposes.
The body was discovered near a bank at Ayama Junction along Olu-Obasanjo Road in Port Harcourt. Emeka, a shop owner in the area, shared that the deceased’s abdomen had been slashed open, with some organs reportedly missing. The identity of the victim remains unknown as crowds gathered to view the scene.
However, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, Superintendent Grace Iringe-Koko, clarified that contrary to rumours, the man’s organs were all intact.
She explained: “On November 9, 2024, around 10:30 a.m., we received a report of an unidentified body lying near Ayama Junction and the Ikokwu Spare Parts Market on Olu-Obasanjo Road, Port Harcourt. Our officers quickly responded and secured the area.”
