Pro-Government Militias

Pro-Government Militia Website

Onitsha Traders Association Vigilante Group (Nigeria)

Basic Group Information

Name assigned by coder: no
PGM ID Number: 401
Country: Nigeria
Date formed: Nov. 1, 1999
    Accuracy of date formed: month
Details of Formation: It is the security arm of the Onitsha Traders Association. It was founded in November 1999 to reduce crime in Onitsha.
Date dissolved: July 11, 2000
    Accuracy of date dissolved: day
Details of Termination: The governor had banned the vigilante group of the Onitsha Traders Association in July 2000 following mass protest by traders in the town against their activities, and empowered the "Bakassi Boys" to take charge of the security of lives and property in the state. The governor did not disband OTA as a body, but its vigilante outfit.
Termination Type(s): government defects

Former and Successor Group Information

Predecessor group(s): none
Successor group(s): none
Private Military Company? no
Former Group? no information
    Former Armed Group? no information
Former Rebel Group? no information
    Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: none
PGM Becomes Rebel Group? no information
    Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: none

Government Relation, Support, and Training

Government Relation: informal (type 1)
Created by the Government?: no information
    Main Creating Government Institution: none
Government Link(s): sub-national government
    If link to party, name of party: None
Training and Equipment: no information
Shared Information and Joint Operations: yes
Shared Personnel: no information
Type(s) of Material Support: no information
State Sponsor(s): none
Other Connection(s):

Group Characteristics

Membership: adolescents
Primary Membership: local
Alternative Primary Membership: no information
Location: Onitsha
Force Strength: [unknown, unknown]
Target(s): criminals
Purpose(s): protect property and investment; anti crime

Ethnic Characteristics

Ethnic Target(s): none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: not applicable
Ethnic Membership: none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: not applicable
Ethnic Purpose: none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: not applicable

Other Information

Other Information: Police and OTA vigilante group fougt each other in January 2000. However, state government never withdraw its support.

New Variables from Meta-Analysis

Purpose

Purpose: The state government aligned with the militia so that it can support police operations against criminals. When there were clashes between the Onitsha Traders and the regular police, the state government supported the militia, which led to tensions between the two parties.
Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use unknown

Treatment of Civilians

Treatment of Civilians: The militia used excessive violence to curb crime and to attack alleged criminals.
Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: killing

Reasons for Membership

PGM Members Coerced? no information
PGM Members Paid? no information
Reasons for Membership: Young men were recruited by the association to join the armed wing of the trading organization.
PGM Members Killed? no information

PGM Size

Size: No information.

Weapons and Training

Weapons and Training: No information.

Organisation

Organisation: The militant wing of the association was created in 1999 by Paulinus Ubanozie to improve the security situation for the traders in Onitsha. However, its command structures and its links to the state government are unknown.

Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis

Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD.

Evidence