I realize people are stupid, but I didn’t realize people were this stupid. From Reuters:
Police in Nigeria are holding a goat on suspicion of attempted armed robbery.
Vigilantes took the black and white beast to the police saying it was an armed robber who had used black magic to transform himself into a goat to escape arrest after trying to steal a Mazda 323.
“The group of vigilante men came to report that while they were on patrol they saw some hoodlums attempting to rob a car. They pursued them. However one of them escaped while the other turned into a goat,” Kwara state police spokesman Tunde Mohammed told Reuters by telephone.
“We cannot confirm the story, but the goat is in our custody. We cannot base our information on something mystical. It is something that has to be proved scientifically, that a human being turned into a goat,” he said.
At least the policeman spoke a bit of sense. I can’t believe they accepted the goat into custody, though. What a strange world of superstition these folks must live in.
(via Digital Dame)
Terrible racism.
This preferential treatment for weregoats should not be tolerated. If it was a werewolf instead, they would have shot him on sight. Instead, the weregoat was politely arrested, probably without use of force. And I’m pretty sure that they’ll let him go, completely free, something that one of us regular humans would not get after being caught in a robbery attempt.
Really disgraceful.
Weregoats are people just like us, and should be equal before the law, without all those extra privileges!
Yaron, pretty funny.
Did they asked the goat to put his hoof on the bible and to swear to tell the whole truth so help him god? How silly of me, that wouldn’t come until the trial.
I would like to see the video of the interrogation.
I have relatives in Nigeria (my brother-in-law is Nigerian) and I spent a few weeks there last year, and from what I’ve seen and heard I can attest to the high degree of superstition among the population. It’s a strange mix though, organized religion (Christianity in the south, Islam in the north) belief in witchcraft, curses et al, existing side by side. Throw in an unhealthy dose of tribal animosity and you arrive at a rather volatile mix. I’m surprised the country hasn’t blown up in violent conflict yet.
Good thing they’re too poor to have nukes, I guess. :)
@Daniel, yes it is. The scary thing is though that Nigeria is among the most developed and richest African nations….
I shared that story with some folks at work and we were all having a good LOL about it. I don’t think any of them were, however, thinking of the parallel to their own beliefs. ;-)
You know, I was just explaining how quantum physics will forever remain counter-intuitive. But I *have* to be wrong. If people will believe this, they will believe anything.
I hope the goat was read his Mir-baaaaaa-nda rights.
I suppose it’s possible that the cops are simply pandering to local prejudice by arresting the goat? Next it will be said to be “helping with our inquiries” and then quietly released.
However, if I were a local, I’d hesitate to submit any missing persons reports for a couple of weeks.
@Metro, that probably depends on the penalty for attempted armed robbery relative to the price of a goat.
If it happens to just be a reasonable fine, you can go to the station, pay the fine on behalf of your missing uncle, take him home, and start making stew and jerky.
Or, if it’s severe, agree to an execution for armed robbery and witchcraft, and just ask for the body so you can give him a proper burial once the evil soul is gone…
“What a strange world of superstition these folks must live in.”
When was 13 I attended a church service where we cast out a demon from a woman. My life in church was no different just a different goat……
Great story!
Hey, these guys aren’t so stupid. They want the goat in custody so they can shoot it when it tries to escape. Then they can eat it.
Stupid, yes… But how educated are these people? How much access to education did they have in their life? How literate are they?
What is *really* stupid is to have the possibility to go to the finest schools and universities in the world, to have access to the finest libraries in the world, to be able to go online virtually everywhere and study and discuss the most diverse aspects of the world, and *still* believe that the earth was created 6,000 years ago. Or *still* think that Paris Hilton is an interesting person. Or *still* think that sports or fashion is the most important thing in life. Or *still* write nonsensical blog replies. Or… Well, you get an idea.
Hmmmmm? I wonder what’s going on here…
Could this goat actually be (wait for it…wait for it…*switch to Dana Carvey’s Church Lady voice*):
SAAAAATAN??????? Well isn’t that special.
@ dr.R.
That’s a good point, but I’m trying to figure out what country you are talking about. I’d assume you meant the US, but according to wikipedia the US is 20th in terms of education, just below Lithuania.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_Index
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I hope the policeman who spoke sensibly has an escape plan for himself and his family. Otherwise, the villagers will soon “deduce” that he is in league with the devil for “defending” the goat, and they’ll be after them next. No joke.
Whatta world, whatta world…
This is Africa folks. The sad thing is this is nothing unusual. We get stories like this all the time, witches, witchcraft, spirits, demons etc. It’s part of our culture (well, not mine, being an atheist and all…).
He’s taking the fall for somebody else.
He’s a scapegoat.
And to think this country (U.S.A.) almost elected a woman to the office of Vice President who attends a church where witch-hunting pastors from Africa are welcomed.
Mmmm, for a young Nigerian policeman, to what purpose might a goat be turned in the dimly lit privacy of the cell?
I am Nigerian and I must confess I am very against the generalization of backwardness of the nation. Just because Heavens gate folks decided on a wrong path does not make everyone from that country an idiot. There are people with strange beliefs just because I dont subscribe to it does not make me respect them less.
Perhaps I am being defensive but assuming that the responders to this article are more read or intelligent or outspoken is just a matter of perspective. The elders say “when you live in your village, you think your fathers house is the biggest”. Leave your little mind world and respect the opinion of others.
I think it is a stupid thing to think but not a stupid people to think it,