Aisha Suleiman, 16 years, known as Peculiar on Tiktok now walks free after a harrowing ordeal that almost saw her life snuffed out by mob justice. You would recall the viral story of a girl accused of lacing a pot of pepper soup with poison, leading to the tragic deaths of her ex-boyfriend, Emmanuel Elogie, and four of his friends in Afashio, Edo State. After being humiliated on social media and narrowly escaping being mobbed, the truth has now emerged, revealing a different cause of the fatalities.
The saga began last October when a social media storm accused Aisha of seeking vengeance on her former lover by serving him a deadly dish. Her ex-boyfriend’s friend had shared a post on social media, placing a bounty on Aisha for wickedly ending the life of his friend with pepper soup. The post, which went viral, led to a frenzied public response. Upon returning to the community, an angry mob confronted Aisha, tying her up, dousing her with petrol, and nearly setting her ablaze. Only the timely intervention of the authorities prevented a lynching.
The Edo State Police Command acted swiftly, arresting Aisha and charging her to court. But as the case unfolded, human rights activists stepped in, demanding a thorough investigation. Their persistence paid off when the police discovered that the deaths resulted from carbon monoxide poisoning due to generator fumes, not from Aisha’s cooking.
Speaking to ITV Radio after her exoneration, Aisha recounted her nightmare. “I never cooked pepper soup that day; I wasn’t even there when it happened,” she declared. She explained how her breakup with Emmanuel had led to his father barring her from their home. Aisha’s father confirmed the story stating how surprised he was to see a mob gather around the house on that day, ready to burn the house down alongside the girl. Aisha also narrated how her boyfriend’s friend behind the rumor also prevented her from reporting the situation to the police.
The exoneration of Aisha Suleiman (Peculiar) sends a chilling reminder of how quickly misinformation can escalate into real-world consequences. The incident also spotlights the dangers of mob justice and the importance of due process. Aisha’s lawyer, Ibude Osamwonyi, confirmed the DPP discharged her on the grounds of no case to answer. “There was nothing linking her to the crime,” Osamwonyi stated, emphasizing the lack of evidence against his client. Osamwonyi picked interest in the case, after some friends requested for his assistance in exonerating the innocent girl.
This case may have cleared Aisha’s name but has also sparked a broader conversation about the responsibilities of social media influencers. An X user known as Agba John Doe issued a heartfelt apology for his role in spreading the false narrative, promising a more measured approach in the future. John Doe was one of the many people who condemned Aisha and called for her to be duly prosecuted when the rumored story began. As Aisha moves forward, this incident leaves behind lessons learned about justice, truth, and the power of social media to both harm and heal.
