Buzz
Some politicians love making bold claims, threatening to 'devour their adversaries.' But how many truly have the courage to back up such a savage statement?
Surprisingly, more than we might care to admit. Here are 10 instances where powerful individuals were either accused of engaging in cannibalism or became victims of it themselves or within their families. In every case, it’s every bit as horrifying as it sounds.
10. Lon Nil: Cooked and Consumed by an Enraged Cambodian Mob
In 1970, a coup took place in Cambodia, deposing Prince Norodom Sihanouk as the head of state and installing Cheng Heng in his place. Directly below him was Prime Minister Lon Nol (pictured above), who became the head of state in 1972.
The coup left a trail of casualties on both sides, with one of the most notable deaths being that of Lon Nil—Lon Nol’s brother. This occurred on March 28, 1970, as a direct consequence of Sihanouk’s public call for Cambodians to rise against the new ruling regime.
This sparked riots in the city of Kampong Cham. As a result, Lon Nol sent his brother to assess the situation. Soon after arriving, Lon Nil was brutally beaten to death by a mob of Sihanouk supporters in a central marketplace. It’s believed his chest was torn open, and his liver was removed, later prepared in a nearby Chinese restaurant.
The mob then consumed the liver, seemingly to 'demonstrate their deep hatred' for Lon Nol. There were also suggestions that the act of cannibalism held spiritual significance. The Khmer Rouge often engaged in such practices, believing that consuming human liver was a potent source of power.
Eventually, Lon Nol managed to suppress the uprisings in Kampong Cham. However, in 1975, the Khmer Rouge took control of Cambodia, forcing Nol into exile.
9. Johan and Cornelis de Witt Ambushed and Consumed by Dutch Peasants
In Dutch history, there exists a year so disastrous that it’s widely known as Rampjaar, or the 'disaster year,' which occurred in 1672. At the time, Johan de Witt was the leading figure in Dutch politics. Together with his brother Cornelis, Johan was heavily blamed for the nation's crisis.
On June 21, 1672, Johan was severely injured in a knife attack. He was ousted from office that August. Shortly after, Cornelis was accused of conspiring to assassinate Willem III of the House of Orange. Cornelis was arrested on charges of treason, tortured, and exiled. When Johan visited Cornelis in prison just before his exile, both brothers were brutally attacked and shot by an organized militia.
The bodies of the two brothers were publicly displayed. It is widely believed that the enraged mob dismembered the de Witt brothers and consumed parts of their bodies, including their livers and eyes.
8. Victor Biaka Boda Strays Off the Road and Disappears Without a Trace
Victor Biaka Boda was elected to the French Senate in 1948, representing the Democratic Party of Cote d’Ivoire. Shortly after his election, the party faced active repression from the French authorities overseas.
Boda’s death is most likely dated to January 28, 1950, though the exact circumstances remain unclear. It is known that his car broke down while traveling through Bouafle. While his driver worked on repairs, Boda wandered off and was never seen again. His belongings, along with bones, were discovered that November.
The remains were never officially confirmed as Boda’s. However, it has been widely speculated that his constituents may have eaten him. This theory seems to have originated from a satirical article in a French newspaper, suggesting that the entire story could be fabricated.
Boda did indeed die. Something occurred when he wandered off the road. His death was officially recorded in 1953.
7. Jean-Bedel Bokassa Accused of Keeping the Corpses of His Enemies Stored in Cold Storage
Jean-Bedel Bokassa ruled the Central African Republic (which was briefly renamed the Central African Empire) from 1966 until 1979, when he was overthrown. After spending seven years in exile in France, Bokassa returned to face trial.
His criminal history is extensive and violent, including the massacre of over 100 schoolchildren and accusations of cannibalism. Bokassa minimized the charges, stating, 'I’m not a saint. I’m just a man like everyone else.'
David Dacko was ousted by Bokassa and later reinstated after Bokassa's reign. Dacko claimed that human flesh had been discovered in Bokassa’s fridge, 'trussed up and ready for roasting.'
In the end, charges of cannibalism could not be definitively proven. However, Bokassa was found guilty of all other charges and sentenced to death.
In 1988, President Kolingba overturned the decision, commuting Bokassa’s sentence to life imprisonment in solitary confinement. In 1993, a general amnesty for all prisoners was declared, granting Bokassa his freedom once again.
6. Samuel Doe Dismembered to Prove He Wasn't Protected by Black Magic
Samuel Doe was the president of Liberia from 1980 to 1990. He took power through a coup d'état, leading to the immediate death of then-President William Tolbert Jr. The men from Tolbert’s inner circle were publicly displayed in their underwear before being executed.
To maintain his grip on power, Doe is believed to have manipulated elections and orchestrated the massacre of over 600 people inside a church. He also openly supported America’s Cold War stance and severed Liberia’s relations with both Libya and the Soviet Union. In exchange, Doe received US financial aid.
President Doe was overthrown in 1990 during another coup. He was captured and videotaped in his underwear as the still-active Liberian politician Prince Johnson sat at a desk, drinking beer. Johnson commanded his men to amputate Doe’s ears, fingers, and toes to prove that, contrary to popular belief, he was not protected by black magic. Doe was then decapitated.
Rumors have circulated that Johnson and his men ate parts of Doe’s body. However, Johnson, now a senior senator from Nimba County, has adamantly denied these claims. He is quoted as saying, 'The Nimbaians are not cannibals. Even if I was a cannibal, I did not eat Doe because he was embalmed with chemicals for 25 years.'
5. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo Accused of Wanting to Eat His Enemies’ Testicles
Teodor Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has been the president of Equatorial Guinea since 1979. Given his long tenure, his rule has naturally exhibited strong elements of dictatorship, with opposition consistently suppressed. In fact, Equatorial Guinea has only one legitimate political party—Mbasogo’s Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea.
No other political parties are permitted to gain any significant traction. Mbasogo is quoted as saying, 'What right does the opposition have to criticize the actions of a government?'
In 2003, one of Mbasogo’s aides declared on national radio, 'He can decide to kill without anyone holding him accountable and without going to hell, because it is God Himself, with whom he is in constant communication, who grants him this power.' Throughout his nearly 40-year reign, Mbasogo has tortured and killed numerous individuals.
Severo Moto, an exiled political opponent, was the first to bring attention to the rumors of Mbasogo’s alleged cannibalism. In 2004, during an appearance on a Spanish radio show, Moto claimed that Mbasogo believes consuming his enemies gives him strength. Moto remarked, 'Obiang wants me to return to Guinea and eat my testicles. That’s clear.'
4. Charles Taylor Allegedly Used Cannibalism As A Tactic To Demoralize His Enemies
Charles Taylor served as the president of Liberia from 1997 until 2003. During his presidency, he was heavily criticized internationally for crimes against humanity and war crimes, most of which were believed to have occurred during the Sierra Leone Civil War.
After being extradited from Nigeria in 2006, Taylor underwent an extensive trial where he was accused of consuming human flesh and ordering others to do the same as a means of intimidating and demoralizing his enemies. Taylor vehemently rejected these claims, calling them 'sickening.' He added, 'You must be sick to believe it.'
In 2012, after being found guilty of terrorism, murder, rape, and other crimes, Taylor was sentenced to 50 years in prison. The judge overseeing the case declared, 'The accused has been found responsible for aiding and abetting, as well as planning, some of the most heinous and brutal crimes in recorded history.'
3. Joseph Kony Kidnaps Children And Forces Them To Partake In Cannibalistic Acts
Joseph Kony is the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a group primarily known for its brutal activities in Uganda. Kony believes he is the mouthpiece of God and is driven by a mission to turn Uganda into a theocratic state governed by the Ten Commandments. He uses these claimed divine beliefs to justify a long list of horrific atrocities.
Former LRA member Francis Ongom is quoted saying, 'He has found Bible justifications for killing witches, killing pigs based on the story of the Gadarene swine, and killing people because of God's actions during Noah's flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.'
The LRA operates through systematic indoctrination, abducting young children and forcing them to commit heinous acts such as cannibalism. This includes drinking the blood of their enemies and eating human flesh. These actions are meant to break down their inhibitions and make them feel there is no way back into society.
Pamela Aber was captured by the LRA and held captive for five months before managing to escape. She recalled that she and her fellow prisoners were ordered to bite a 14-year-old girl to death for trying to flee:
We began to bite her, but she didn’t die. While we bit her, she begged the rebels, asking for forgiveness, promising never to try escaping again. [ . . ] Eventually, we were instructed to take turns beating her with a log until she passed away.
Reports suggest Kony's influence has waned over recent years. At the height of the LRA's power, Kony commanded several thousand fighters, but it’s now believed fewer than 100 remain under his command.
2. Idi Amin Allegedly Involved In Kakwa Blood Rituals
Idi Amin was the president of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. During his time in power, he built a reputation for his absurd public persona, which helped to obscure the widespread atrocities that took place under his rule. It's estimated that as many as 500,000 people were killed during his eight years in office.
Amin’s father belonged to the Kakwa ethnic group in Uganda, known for practicing blood rituals where flesh was removed from the body of a deceased person and consumed in order to weaken the power of the deceased’s vengeful spirit.
Amin put his own spin on this tradition, claiming that he kept human livers in his fridge. He was quoted saying, “In Kakwa culture, eating the liver of your enemy is a way to cleanse the sin of murder.”
When confronted with rumors about cannibalism, Amin would often respond with humor to deflect the questions. On one occasion, he said, “I don’t like human flesh. It’s too salty for me.”
1. General Butt Naked Consumed Large Amounts of Human Blood
In the early 1990s, Joshua Milton Blahyi, who is also known as General Butt Naked, commanded a mercenary group during the First Liberian Civil War. This group was notorious under the name 'Butt Naked Brigade'. As the name implies, nearly all the members fought without clothes, while a few of them wore women’s clothing. Additionally, they were often heavily intoxicated.
Butt Naked, notorious for his group's exceptional brutality, once recounted a typical day with his brigade:
Before leading my troops into combat, we would get drunk and high, perform a sacrifice on a local teenager, drink their blood, then strip down to just our shoes and march into battle wearing colorful wigs and carrying looted purses. We would kill anyone in our sight, behead them, and play with their heads as soccer balls. We were naked, fearless, drunk, yet surprisingly strategic.
Butt Naked and his soldiers believed that human sacrifices, the consumption of flesh and blood, and their nudity granted them protection from bullets, shielding them from harm in battle.
In 1996, General Butt Naked converted to Christianity and publicly acknowledged the remorse he feels for his past actions. He also claimed that, at the time, he was under the influence of satanic forces, which led him to commit acts beyond his control.
