Violent cult gangs are well-known in Nigeria. Though there aren’t any statistics on their numbers and impression, Lagos State in southwest Nigeria has greater than 10 of those teams controlling totally different areas. They function in neighbourhoods and their memberships lower throughout age teams. They management sure territories as their very own, extorting cash from companies and residents.
But the Badoo cult gang that operated in Ikorodu space of the state between 2016 and 2018 was totally different. It was a violent ritual gang. The seize of its chief and herbalist ended its operations. The Badoo cult was identified for killing its victims in mysterious circumstances for ritual functions.
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Badoo gang dominance
Through mastery of the surroundings and goal choice, the Badoo cult gang was capable of impose fear in the minds of residents. Unlike different identified violent cult gangs, just like the Eiye and Black Axe cults, the Badoo cult gang didn’t use weapons in its operation; its weapons had been the pestle, mortar, grinding stone and white handkerchief. The pestle was used to hit victims on the pinnacle and the handkerchief to scrub their blood – indicating the motive as ritual.
Our research explored how the ritual gang chosen its victims and the way it operated. This was with a view to understanding how surroundings predisposes folks to develop into victims of crime.
Our findings might stimulate coverage actions in direction of enhancing environmental design and crime prevention.
The research was carried out in Ikorodu, Lagos state, the place greater than 20 assaults came about. Twenty in-depth interviews had been carried out with three conventional rulers, three spiritual leaders (one Muslim and two Christians), the chief of the vigilante group in Ikorodu who was concerned in arresting some Badoo suspects and 13 different contributors who lived close to homes that had been attacked by members of the gang.
Selecting targets
Each gang member was assigned obligations. A key gang member, normally a group insider, would supply info on households that seemed like simple targets. We discovered that ladies spies had been despatched to the potential space of assault, as a result of they might be much less possible than males to lift any group suspicions. This manner, the gang would acquire advance information of the targets and the way to get into their homes. An informant stated:
They could be going spherical to know {that a} explicit home has no burglar proofs. The girls give them info on the place they might strike.
Most of the targets may very well be characterised as comfortable targets in remoted areas in the group. The targets had been additionally comparatively poor folks. They lived in partially accomplished buildings, normally single room residences and typically with out burglar proofing. Some stayed in stand-alone home quarters indifferent from foremost buildings. One participant stated:
The folks they attacked weren’t wealthy. The husband was a motorcyclist whereas the spouse roasts corn by the facet of the street. Their home has no burglar proof and the door is made from plywood.
Operation patterns
Our contributors and stories indicated that the gang operated in the early hours of the day, normally between 1am and 3am.
While parading arrested gang members, the then Commissioner of Police of Lagos State, Edgar Imhohimi, described what that they had performed:
The gang of three murderers and ritualists normally spray a powdery substance into the victims’ dwelling place that may make their targets fall into deep sleep earlier than the group ends their lives by smashing their skulls with grinding stone.
Another participant in our research, a sufferer of Badoo assaults, stated:
They hit my husband on the pinnacle with a stone, one thing just like the stone they use to grind pepper, that native grinding stone.
Our informants’ responses recommend that buildings below building or unoccupied are a menace to safety, and overgrown vegetation obstructs visibility. Isolated homes could compromise the safety of neighbourhoods and make inhabitants of these buildings simple targets.
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Combating crime in Nigeria
The reign of terror of the Badoo cult gang in Ikorodu ultimately ended when the formal and casual businesses of social management collaborated. That is, the police enlisted the assist of native vigilance teams. This exhibits that cooperation between the police and native safety operatives might work nicely in combating crime. Local folks use conventional strategies of vigilance related to people who the Badoo gang used. And they know their group.
Security is also improved by clearing overgrown vegetation and taking note of empty or remoted buildings.
Article by: Oludayo Tade. Communication/Security Consultant, Sociologist/Criminologist/Victimologist and Facilitator, University of Ibadan
This article is republished from The Conversation below a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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