False Genital-Theft Rumors Fuel Mob Killings Across Africa

According to the BBC, more than 80 people were killed between October 2025 and July this year after false accusations tied to so-called genital theft, according to data gathered by the BBC Global Disinformation Unit from police forces in six African countries. The killings have spread across several countries, including Burundi, Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Angola, Malawi and Kenya, and officials and researchers said social media has amplified the rumors. The BBC reported that Tanzanian mechanic Boniface Mgala was badly beaten in April after a mob in Tunduma accused him and a friend of stealing a man's genitals; his friend later died. The report said similar attacks have been recorded in videos verified by the BBC Global Disinformation Unit, including incidents in Tanzania's Dar es Salaam, Mozambique and Kenya. Mozambique's police said in May that 55 people had been killed in six weeks, while Kenya said five people were killed in coastal counties Kwale and Mombasa. Malawi also reported eight deaths linked to the rumors. Momba district commissioner Elias Daniel Mwandobo said local investigations suggested some incidents involved deliberate criminal intent, while a Meta spokesperson said the company was reviewing content shared with it and would act on material that violated its policies. TikTok had not responded to a BBC request for comment.