A football coach known as Gaso has been saved by the police after members of a local vigilante group, OSPAC, allegedly beat him and showed him off for supposedly stealing another man’s manhood in Igwuruta, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
A viral video shared by PUNCH Online showed the coach in blue jeans and a black T-shirt. His hands were tied in front of him while members of the vigilante group questioned and hit him.
In the video, a man in a blue caftan claimed Gaso, who is from Okrika, asked him for transport fare to his village. The man said he offered to pay the fare at a motor park instead of giving cash, but soon after, he noticed his manhood was missing and raised an alarm.
He explained, “I said let us cross the road, let me pay you to Igwuruta. Before I knew it, the man that said I should give him money started moving fast ahead of me.
“I asked him why. He now asked me what. I said, ‘Are you not the one asking me for money?’ The next thing, he crossed the road and started running.”
Gaso denied the claim, saying, “It’s a lie. I begged you for money?” One of the vigilante members then asked the complainant, “Where is your manhood?” After the complainant tried to answer, the member asked again, “Is this how it is?” The man replied, “No,” before the suspect was slapped.
On Tuesday, a relative of the coach, Solomon Ogan, spoke to PUNCH Online. He said he visited Gaso at the Igwuruta Police Station and rejected the claim against him. He criticized the vigilante group, insisting his brother is innocent.
“One of our brothers was accused of taking someone’s manhood in Igwuruta. When we got the news, we quickly rushed to the police station.
“It was there we found out that OSPAC members had caught him, beat him badly, and hurt his head before the police came and took control of the situation.
“We are currently at the Igwuruta Police Station, where he is being held. What OSPAC did is unfair because you cannot accuse someone of such an offence without proof,” he said.
Ogan added, “There is no reason to accuse someone of stealing another person’s manhood and then beating him up.” He also said the vigilante members might have killed the coach if the police had not stepped in and called for their arrest.
“I demand the prosecution of the OSPAC commander and all members involved in this incident. They should be arrested and face the law,” he said.
In an exclusive chat with PUNCH Online on Tuesday, Prince Wiro, the National Coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, called for the quick release of the coach and the arrest of those involved in the alleged beating.
“I condemn the alleged beating, torture, and public display of Mr Daso Ogan by OSPAC members in Igwuruta over claims that he made another man’s manhood disappear through magic on June 22, 2026.
“The torture shown in a viral video is a violation of the victim’s basic right to dignity,” he stated.
Wiro added that family members confirmed the victim suffered serious injuries during the assault. “They confirmed that OSPAC members allegedly gave Daso severe injuries, including a head injury. The victim could have faced worse harm if not for the quick action of officers from the Igwuruta Police Division,” he said.
He also pointed out that claims about a person’s manhood disappearing through touch or supernatural means lack medical or scientific backing.
“I call for the immediate release of Daso Ogan from the Igwuruta Police Division, as he has not committed any known crime. I also demand the arrest and prosecution of all members of Igwuruta OSPAC involved in this injustice and illegal action,” he added.
Confirming the incident, ASP Grace Iringe-Koko Agabe, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, said officers saved the victim from a mob and put him in protective custody.
“Yes, our men rescued someone from a mob. The man is now in protective custody, and the matter is under investigation.
“Meanwhile, I want to remind everyone not to rush into jungle justice. It is a crime, and anyone or group found doing it will face the law,” she said.
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