'The crowd shouted that we'd stolen someone's genitals' - deadly rumours spread on social media

What the report says

The BBC Africa and BBC Global Disinformation Unit report that false claims about “genital theft” have fueled mob violence across several African countries, with more than 80 people killed between October 2025 and July this year, based on data gathered from police forces in six nations. The stories circulating online suggest that a touch from a stranger can cause a man’s genitals to shrink or disappear, and the BBC says social media has helped the rumors spread faster and more widely.

The report says the violence has affected the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Angola, Malawi and Kenya. In Tanzania, mechanic Boniface Mgala described being pulled from a restaurant in Tunduma on 1 April and beaten by a crowd that accused him of stealing someone’s genitals; his friend was later killed. Other videos reviewed by the BBC show similar assaults, including cases in Dar es Salaam and in Mozambique and Kenya.

Officials and local observers quoted by the BBC linked the attacks to panic, superstition and, in some cases, deliberate criminal behavior. Tanzania’s Momba district commissioner said some incidents appeared designed to incite fear for personal gain. In Mozambique, authorities said 55 people were killed in six weeks, prompting public warnings and health campaigns. The BBC also notes that some posts and videos remain online, while Meta said it was reviewing content flagged to it and TikTok had not responded at the time of publication.

The article places the current wave in a wider historical context, saying similar fears have appeared before in parts of Africa where witchcraft beliefs are widespread, but that smartphones and social platforms have made unverified claims harder to contain.