Gangs terrorised Africa’s largest city in coronavirus lockdown. Vigilantes responded
- Gangs like ‘One Million Boys’ defy police in violent crime sprees in Lagos, a city of 20 million
- Communities created vigilante groups to protect their neighbourhoods during lockdown period
Midnight gunshots in early April in Abule-Egba, a densely populated district in Nigeria’s largest city of Lagos, startled Victor Osadiaye. He stood by his window, watching the scenes unfold in the street outside his home. The violent robbery ended about 20 minutes later.
“I have never seen anything like this all my life. It was like war,” he said. “Not just me, everyone was shocked because this doesn’t always happen.”
A small crowd of men, women and children gathered in his neighbourhood later that morning, he recalled, and the local community made plans to make sure it wouldn’t happen again.
However, Abule-Egba wasn’t the only community targeted by the armed gangs. Since Nigeria’s first lockdown was announced on March 30, crimes soared in places like Lagos – the largest commercial city in Africa with 20 million residents. Low income and densely populated neighbourhoods have been worst-hit.
In the Aguda area about 30km away from Osadiaye’s home, Ebere Grace had become aware of a notice circulated by the notorious gang known as “One Million Boys”, warning her street’s residents they would be coming to collect valuables including phones, laptops, even food. To resist or inform police would be met with violence, the gang warned.
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“It was like a joke,” said Grace. “We didn’t take it so seriously because it looked odd and impossible.” Ten hours later, the gang arrived, many on motorcycles. They blocked all the entrances to the neighbourhood’s streets and robbed people coming and going.
“They are all young. They weren’t harming those who didn’t resist them.”
Overwhelmed, Nigeria’s Police Force said it would “immediately rejig the security architecture to effectively tackle all emerging crimes associated with the Covid-19 lockdown”.
Some arrests were made and weapons seized. But the sheer size of the city, protected by a relatively small police force, has left much of the population without adequate security.
That drove some people like Osadeiye to form community vigilante groups to protect their neighbourhoods.
“There is no need trusting the security forces with the lives of your family,” he said. “A responsible man should take responsibility for his safety and that of his household.”
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At sunset, armed with an iron rod and flashlight, Osadeiye joined other young men for night watch duties. After exchanging pleasantries, they would divide into smaller units to patrol darkened streets, occasionally using their rudimentary weapons to hit metal structures they walked past to make their presence known to outsiders.
In the past few weeks, Abule-Egba’s neighbourhood watch model has been copied by other streets in nearly other parts of Lagos state after violent attacks.
Across several neighbourhoods, especially from the hours 8-10pm, all the men would start gathering in groups, some armed with machetes and axes. Old tyres were set on fire at strategic locations to provide light to the guards, the black smoke polluting the night air. Some would set up road blocks and others would patrol on motorcycles.
In a recent televised national address, Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari said he was “deeply concerned” about the security situation during the lockdown. But Don Okereke, a security analyst based in Lagos, wasn’t surprised by the surge in gang activity.
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“That’s because millions have lost their livelihood without adequate support from the government,” he said.
“Even if there were palliatives, only very few people might have benefitted.”
Nigeria has so far officially recorded more than 5,600 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 176 deaths, but the actual number is likely higher because testing has been limited.
The government has proposed a 50 billion naira (US$128 million) stimulus package to support small businesses and households; paying 20,000 naira (US$52) to about 3.6 million poor and the most vulnerable households through the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry.
Lagos State’s economic stimulus package reached 200,000 households, mostly food handouts.
But for a country of 200 million people, the vast majority of whom are employed in the informal sector, these measures were barely enough.
That’s bad for the West African nation, which relies on oil for about 90 per cent of its foreign exchange earnings. Some analysts predict revenue could be slashed by more than half this year.
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But national economic issues matter less to the average Lagos resident than health, food and personal safety. Local gangs are still feared despite a relative return to calm after vigilante groups started their patrols and some lockdown restrictions were gradually eased this month.
“We haven’t experienced any attacks since the vigilante operations started,” said Christy Iyere, a grocery seller. “Peace is returning gradually. The security structure has kept the hoodlums away. But our men have not known good sleep for weeks.”
