Rumours that strangers can make men’s private parts shrink or disappear have sparked deadly mob attacks across parts of Africa, leaving more than 80 people dead.
The deaths were recorded between October 2025 and July 2026, according to police data compiled by BBC researchers across six countries.
The rumours were reported in DR Congo, Burundi, Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Angola, Malawi and Kenya, with social media helping them spread.
Authorities and medical checks found no evidence that anyone’s genitals had actually disappeared through physical contact.
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