On March 3, 2003, P.M. News, a Nigerian newspaper, published a bizarre and sensational headline: “Accident Victim Turns To Goat In Port Harcourt.”
More than two decades later, the report remains one of the most extreme examples of how superstition, hearsay, and mob justice were uncritically packaged as news.
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Recovered through Archivi.ng, an online platform digitising old newspapers, the report raises serious questions about ethical journalism, verification standards, and the publication of unverified supernatural claims.
Did an accident victim truly turn to a goat in Port Harcourt? EKO HOT BLOG deconstructs the bizarre report and notes the red flags.
Red Flag #1: Supernatural claims reported as fact
The most glaring issue is the article’s failure to treat the alleged transformation with any skepticism. The central claim is relayed with no attribution to official sources, no counterpoints from authorities, and no indication that it may be folkloric or fabricated:
“Sources said that on noticing that he has hit the woman, the driver hurried down to rescue his victim only to discover that she had turned into a she-goat,” the report reads.
Rather than label this as a claim or allegation, the story presents it as a factual occurrence, lending false credibility to a clearly supernatural event.
Red Flag #2: No named sources or verifiable identities
The entire report relies on anonymous accounts and missing identities:
“The owner and the driver of the car, whose name and car registration number could not be immediately ascertained…”
Even the supposed eyewitnesses and the man who later claims the goat was his mother remain unnamed. There is no traceable identity to hold accountable, question, or confirm. The driver, also said to be a politician, was not named.
Red Flag #3: Inconsistent timeline and events
The story’s internal chronology is deeply flawed. The incident is said to have occurred at noon, but the twist involving the man who claims the goat is his mother happens much later near midnight:
“At about 11:30 p.m., P.M. News gathered that a man suddenly ran down the road, shouting that it was his mother that was lying dead.”
It is not explained how a goat allegedly hit by a speeding car was left in the middle of an expressway for nearly 12 hours with no police, traffic response, or environmental cleanup, especially in a bustling urban area like Port Harcourt.
Red Flag #4: Mob justice endorsed through passive reporting
Rather than zeroing in on the violent mob reaction, the article appears to report it passively—even casually—as if it were a normal or justified response.
“The crowd descended on him and beat him to a state of coma… angered by the police intervention, the crowd, it was learnt, set the goat on fire and burnt it together with the Peugeot 504 car.”
The article neither challenges the crowd’s actions nor frames them within a legal or human rights context. It reads as if the public lynching and destruction of property were a reasonable cultural response.
Red Flag #5: Absence of police confirmation
Efforts to reach the police were claimed to be unsuccessful:
“Efforts to contact the Olu Obasanjo Police Divisional Police Station for comments on the matter proved futile as at the time of filing this report.”
This line is often used as a shield to excuse the lack of official confirmation or investigative effort. Yet the police station mentioned is just one division in Port Harcourt—9no attempt is reported to contact the police headquarters in Rivers State or hospital authorities (where the driver was allegedly taken), city officials, or even traffic control agencies.
FURTHER READING
Interestingly, this report is not unheard of in Nigeria where there have been tall tales of people losing their penises due to nefarious people touching them. But journalism has a duty to critically interrogate, not amplify such claims, especially when they lead to violence. The 2003 P.M. News report is a textbook case of how not to report news.
Philip Ibitoye is a Special Correspondent with EKO HOT BLOG. Click here to find daily analysis and critical insight on trending issues in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria.
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