Pro-Government Militias

Abia State Vigilante Group / Bakassi Boys (Nigeria)

Basic Group Information

Name assigned by coder:	no
PGM ID Number:	410
Country:	Nigeria
Date formed:	July 1, 1999
Accuracy of date formed:	year
Details of Formation:	The Bakassi Boys vigilante group initially emerged as a spontaneous popular initiative to protect property rights and fill the gap in state security provision. It was captured by politics in 2000 and after some violent incidents, the Bakassi Boys were introduced as the states' security outfit Abia State Vigilanta Group aka Bakassi Boys.
Date dissolved:	Aug. 4, 2002
Accuracy of date dissolved:	day
Details of Termination:	The attempt to ban the group in 2000 by the President was opposed and immediately withdrawn. It was only in August 2002 that the federal government passed a bill that outlawed Bakassi. Bakassi vigilantes were arrested and their bases closed down in police raids carried out in early August 2002.
Termination Type(s):	government defects

Former and Successor Group Information

Predecessor group(s):	none
Successor group(s):	Anambra State Vigilante Group / Onitsha Vigilante Group / Bakassi Boys
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?	yes
Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID:	588

Government Relation, Support, and Training

Government Relation:	semi-official (type 2)
Created by the Government?:	no information
Main Creating Government Institution:	none
Government Link(s):	person/minister; sub-national government
If link to party, name of party:	None
Training and Equipment:	yes
Shared Information and Joint Operations:	yes
Shared Personnel:	no
Type(s) of Material Support:	domestic government; villagers
State Sponsor(s):	none
Other Connection(s):

Group Characteristics

Membership:	no information
Primary Membership:	no information
Alternative Primary Membership:	no information
Location:	Abia state, Aba, Anambra State
Force Strength:	[unknown, unknown]
Target(s):	criminals; unarmed political opposition, government critics
Purpose(s):	protect property and investment; self-defense and security; 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:

When militia gained official status in 2000, the name of the Bakassi Boys was changed to Abia State Vigilante Service.

New Variables from Meta-Analysis

Purpose

Purpose:	Initially, the government aligned with the militia to combat crime in the Southeastern coastal region of the country and to protect market traders. Governors have also used the militia to intimidate political opposition. (Raleigh 2016, 289; Wikipedia)
Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use	local support

Treatment of Civilians

Treatment of Civilians:

The militia functioned as a law enforcement agent. While their purpose was to curtail crime, militiamen detained civilians illegally and tortured them. These actions were accepted and encouraged by the Nigerian government that legally recognized the militia as an official organization. They received logistical support to carry out their tasks by the state governments of Abia and Anambra. (Amnesty 2002)

Type(s) of Violence against Civilians:

kidnapping/abductions; killing; torture

Reasons for Membership

PGM Members Coerced?	no information
PGM Members Paid?	no information
Reasons for Membership:	No information
PGM Members Killed?	no information

PGM Size

Size:

No information.

Weapons and Training

Weapons and Training:

Militiamen were armed with machetes and guns. (Wikipedia)

Organisation

Organisation: