Rivers of Blood: Gang Violence in Nigeria's Garden State
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Rivers of blood: Gang Violence In Nigeria’s Garden State JUNE 2020 DISCLAIMER The data contained in this report is only up-to-date as at Friday, 10 April 2020. Some of it is subject to change during the natural course of events. SB Morgen cannot accept liability in respect of any errors or omissions that may follow such events that may invalidate data contained herein. All of the data used for this research comes from one of four sources: the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, the Council for Foreign Relations’ Nigeria Security Tracker, newspaper reports, and SBM Intel’s own countrywide network of researchers. Our publicly released reports are formatted for easy and quick reading, and may not necessarily contain all the data that SB Morgen gathered during a given survey. Complete datasets can be made available on request. 2 Rivers of blood: Gang violence in nigeria’s garden state BACKGROUND Since the end of military of the century, some of these cult rule in Nigeria in 1999, groups began to morph into militancy, blurring the line between groups gang activities and the that had always been militants and corresponding violence have those who leveraged the organization seen a gradual but steady the cult groups gave to engage in increase in Rivers state, in militancy. They ended up waging Nigeria’s Niger Delta. From war against the oil industry for years, the formation of the Supreme reducing Nigeria’s oil production output. To keep the oil flowing, the Vikings Confraternity government eventually created an (SVC) in the early 1980s amnesty programme for repentant at the University of Port militants which still runs till this Harcourt, various criminal very day. Since the reason for the gangs known as cults have formation of these cult groups and the socio-economic and socio- sprung up in different parts political issues which ensure their of the state, with varying growth remains prominent within the membership strengths, and society, these violent groups continue holding different stretches of to exist and pose a serious threat to territory within the state. lives and property and the general development of Rivers State. As is Prominent amongst the more than usual with such groups that control 100 cult groups known to operate in territory, they have become integral the state are the Deewell, Deebam, in the politics of the state, and this Icelanders, Greenlanders, Gberesaako has made some of the groups very Boys, and the Outlaws. These cult powerful. It is this melting pot of groups individually and collectively socio-economics, politics, history, have constituted a menace to the intertribal conflict and violent inhabitants of the state, causing agitation for resource control that incalculable human and economic brings a unique bent to the cult issue loss in the process. In the first decade in Rivers State. 3 Rivers of blood: Gang violence in nigeria’s garden state HISTORY The history of cult groups influence of the KK in Rivers state, in Rivers state can be and to maintain territorial control, the SVC elected to form its own street traced to the formation wing which it termed the Junior of the Supreme Vikings Vikings Confraternity (JVC) as a Confraternity (SVC) also counter to the Occasion Boy led the known as the Adventurers Deebam group . The JVC venture was or the De Norsemen Club unsuccessful but it eventually laid of Nigeria at the University the foundation for the formation of the Deewell group in the Diobu axis of of Port Harcourt in 1984, Port Harcourt. by a former member of the Buccaneers Confraternity1. In the early 2000s, with the Deewell group losing territory and In 1991, Onengiye Ofori Terika, members and still unable to match a member of the Klansmen the ruthlessness and seeming Konfraternity, popularly known as effectiveness of the Deebam group Occasion Boy, formed the Deebam despite allegedly having support from cult group in his community Bukuma, the state government4. A group of in Degema Local Government Area five SVC members, which was termed of Rivers state. The group was meant the ‘5 Wise Men’5 came together. This to serve as the street wing of the group of five6 included Ateke Tom and Klansmen Konfraternity formed in the Julius Oruitemeka, who were then University of Calabar in 1983, and also trained on the practices of the new to fight for compensation owed by group which was named Icelanders, Shell and other oil companies to the and which was handed over to Ateke Bukuma community2. Tom—leader of the street cult group known as The Uglies—to manage7. In the early 1990s, to reduce the 1. Contemporary Nigerian Cultist Groups: Demystifying the ‘Invisibilities’, IFRA-Nigeria Working Papers Series, N57, March 2019, p 9 2. Jennifer M. Hazen, Jonas Honer; Small Arms, Armed Violence, and Insecurity in Nigeria: The Niger Delta in Perspective, 3. Ibid p 117 4. Patrick Naagbanton; More Tales From Our Columbia, 2007, https://bit.ly/37uRDoo 5. Jennifer M. Hazen and Jonas Honer, p 119 6. Ibid 7. Patrick Naagbanton 4 Rivers of blood: Gang violence in nigeria’s garden state “The 2015 elections in Rivers were also a bloody affair. Despite the overt display of violence which caused elections not to be held in Abonnema for example, results were declared for the community. The situation was hardly different four years later during the 2019 presidential elections when a man...” The Icelanders cult group setup rigging into office. It is for this reason its base in Okochiri in Okrika Local that elections in Rivers state have Government of Rivers state, the home continued to see violence which of Ateke Tom. Over time, and in a bid has been reported by the SBM on to rebrand and fend off the negative different occasions. An example of perception its violent activities had this is the Gberesaako Boys which brought, the group was rechristened is a cult group confined to the Ogoni the Niger Delta Vigilante Service axis of Rivers state, and which (NDVS). was formed by the Gokana Council Chairman in 2001 using funds from Many other cult groups have been the Local Government’s Security Vote. formed at different points in time The group which was armed with in the history of Rivers state. The various weapons including automatic proliferation of these groups have, weapons were then used during the in many cases, been at the behest 2003 and 2007 elections in the area9. of politicians seeking power and consequently funding and arming The 2015 elections in Rivers10 were these cult groups to unleash violence also a bloody affair. Despite the overt on opponents and to ensure seamless display of violence which caused 8. Patrick Naagbanton; More Tales From Our Columbia, 2007, 9. Reuters: Pre-election violence kills 9 in southern Nigeria; https://reut.rs/2Ywf6la 10. Cheta Nwanze: Politics as war – the Rivers State model; https://bit.ly/3f1eZWn 5 Rivers of blood: Gang violence in nigeria’s garden state elections not to be held in Abonnema Bush Boys of Okrika was formed for for example, results were declared this particular purpose, so cannot be for the community. The situation was referred to as a cult group. The Bush hardly different four years later during Boys were formed by the Chiefs and the 2019 presidential elections when community members of Okrika to a man, Thywill Dabotubo was shot by serve as a vigilante group for Okrika gunmen dressed in military uniform due to a territorial dispute between while waiting to cast his vote. In the Okrika and Eleme revolving around same place, a staff member of INEC, the land housing the Port Harcourt Ibisaki Amachree was killed by a Refinery. The settlement of this stray bullet. Rivers state witnessed11 issue and the financial benefits to be some of the most violent incidents derived, saw the Bush Boys engaging relating to the election. Despite the in battles with the Eleme community. army uniforms involved in Abonnema, many people interviewed at the time The Bush Boys group would later be believed that the perpetrators were routed from Okrika before the 2003 actually gang members. general elections by the Rivers PDP backed Iceland group led by Ateke Since socio-political and socio- Tom. This was done to ensure the economic issues play an important state governor at the time, Peter part in the formation of armed Odili, gained control of Okrika which groups, a good number of the armed had been an ANPP stronghold prior groups formed in Rivers state have to that time12. A noted leader of Bush community backing and serve as Boys, Sunday Opuambe was gunned vigilantes and community armies down13 in the Abuloma area of Port used to wage communal warfare Harcourt by suspected members of revolving around land ownership, the Greenlanders group in February and chieftaincy disagreements. The 2009. 11. Nigeria: Widespread Violence Ushers in President’s New Term; https://bit.ly/3hxxCCa 12. Pointblank News: Fresh Wardrums in Rivers; https://bit.ly/3hwB0NW 13. 2 gang leaders killed: Bush Boys – Greenlanders resume hostilities; https://bit.ly/2MZ9jPB 6 Rivers of blood: Gang violence in nigeria’s garden state PROMINENT GROUPS A look at the prominent stronghold which is known as its cult groups in Rivers state ‘Alpha Marine’ with its branch in the Rivers State University referred to shows that their origins can as ‘Beta Marine’. Its membership be traced to the formation consists of undergraduates and of the Supreme Viking university graduates. Confraternity in 1984 and the formation of the Deebam The Iceland cult group although group in 1991. having its stronghold and headquarters in Okochiri, has a membership spread across many These groups as has been mentioned communities mostly in the Town area earlier are the Deewell and Icelander of Rivers state and other neighbouring group which we have seen were Niger Delta states.