LAGOS, Nigeria — The bustling Alaba International Market in Ojo, Lagos, was thrown into chaos on Friday, July 14, 2023, after a customer claimed to have found a human body part in a plate of soup purchased from a local food vendor.
The customer, a middle-aged woman identified as Ebere, sells household items across from GBO Plaza in the market.
Her shout of alarm echoed through the market after discovering a piece of meat in her soup that bore an unsettling resemblance to a male child’s genitals.
“I was here when Ebere was eating, yesterday, and found the meat that looks like a little child’s private part. We all took turns to examine it. It didn’t look like that of a goat or a dog,” an eyewitness at the scene informed journalists.
As the news spread, the market was flooded with anxious traders and customers, all wanting to witness the chilling sight.
As the argument over the nature of the meat erupted, it quickly escalated into a full-blown crisis.
Demands for the food vendor’s arrest intensified, and previously regular customers of the vendor expressed horror and revulsion at the thought of possibly having eaten human flesh unknowingly.
Amidst the chaos, the food vendor vehemently proclaimed her innocence, maintaining that she bought the meat from her usual supplier in the market.
Leaders in the market managed to quell the near-crisis, promising to launch a thorough investigation into the disturbing incident.
The Public Relations Officer for Alaba International Market, Ezeani Theophilus, confirmed the incident, saying, “The food vendor doesn’t have a restaurant, she is a local food vendor. We have called on the police, and investigation is ongoing.”
By the time the market quieted down, however, the food vendor had vanished, raising questions about her involvement and prompting speculation about whether she was being held for questioning by police.
The police, for their part, stated that they had not yet received a formal report on the incident but pledged a full investigation once they did.
As the market regains its usual rhythm, the investigation’s findings are eagerly awaited, and traders hope for a swift resolution to this grisly incident.
