Police in Kogi warned residents on Wednesday to desist from peddling fake and false information about the disappearance of male organs currently trending in Lokoja.
Commissioner of police in the state, Onuoha Bertrand, issued the warning in Lokoja.
He warned that anybody caught disturbing the public peace with such rumour-mongering would be arrested and prosecuted.
The commissioner issued the warning in a statement issued by police spokesman in Kogi, SP Williams Ovye-Aya.
He stated that the police had investigated some of the allegations and conducted medical examinations that proved them to be false.
“We are aware that such false information aims at inciting public disturbance, create fear and disrupt the peaceful environment the state is currently enjoying.
“The police are planning sterner measures to curtail false reports in the state; therefore anyone caught giving false information will be arrested and prosecuted according to the law,’’ he warned.
Mr Bertrand also warned Kogi residents to desist from taking the laws into their hands through jungle justice over issues.
“Already, police have deployed security assets to detect individuals peddling rumours that have so far led to attacks on innocent citizens,’’ he stated.
Mr Bethrand also enjoined people of Kogi to remain security-conscious and to report suspicious people in their areas to the police for prompt action.
The rumour on organ disappearance became so widely spread in Lokoja such that males became sceptical about shaking hands with others for fear of losing their organs.
(NAN)