Babagana Umara Zulum, Borno State’s governor, has ordered security operatives to crack down on a the Marlian, a gang of ruthless youths, who have become notorious for extortion, robbery, drug and substance abuse – and even murder.

The gang has been terrorising Maiduguri residents as well as citizens in the Jere Local Government Area.
Members of the Marlian gang brazenly attack innocent citizens, stealing mobile phones and other personal belongings. They are known to carry knives and for stabbing and killing their victims.

Their criminality has been escalating and citizens are terrified of them.

On Wednesday, July 25, a harrowing video was released showing Marlian gang members savagely clubbing, stabbing and killing a Maiduguri police constable identified as Babagana Mala.

Zulum held an emergency security meeting at Government House in Maiduguri on Wednesday where he briefed journalists.

The governor said he was “deeply concerned” about the escalating violence, adding that the government was determined to restore peace and ensure the safety of all residents.

“I have summoned this emergency security council meeting to address the emerging security threat that is bedevilling the Maiduguri metropolis and parts of the Jere Local Government Area, with a view to coming up with additional implementable strategies to guarantee the needed peace and security,” Zulum said.

“Intelligence reports before my office from different sources have indicated increasing activities of youth gangsterism operating in some parts of the state capital and the Jere Local Government. This syndicate specialises not only in phone snatching in broad daylight, robbery and possession of locally made weapons, but has now graduated into the killing of innocent lives, including security operatives.

“I want to assure the public that the government of Borno State, under my leadership, will not allow such a matter to deteriorate. I have received assurances from the security operatives of their commitment to tame such dastardly acts, and our administration is ever committed to dealing with such matters within the shortest possible time,” Zulum said.

Bulama Ajimi, who lives in the Fariya community in Maiduguri, told RNI that it was sad to see youths being killed in broad daylight by hoodlums.

“The suspect is allegedly a guy from the Kasuwan Shanu community. We hope police officers will investigate further.”

Lawan Abba Aji of Damboa Road said: “Almost every day you hear that someone has been killed or injured by the Marlian gang. The gangsters sell drugs and even get children to sell their drugs for them. They give them knives and the children don’t fear anyone.

“Marlian gang members are gaining power in Maiduguri. Their crimes do not stop with communities – they have even killed uniformed security operatives.

“We fear for our safety, too. If the gangsters’ crimes are reported to the police, they are caught but after one or two months they are back on the streets again. Sadly, we have heard that some of the police are informants, who tell the gang if the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency will be their area. We can’t risk our lives, so we just wait and watch and leave the matter to the government.”

Umar Sanda Mohammad, a public relations analyst, said: “These thugs are commonly known as the Marlian gang. They have formed gangs in various communities, including in Jere, the Bayan quarters, the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Bulunku, Sulemanti and the Polo areas.

“This is not uncommon. The insurgency caused poverty, illiteracy and unemployment. There was poor parental upbringing and children were neglected. All this underpins young people’s vulnerability and makes it easy for them to fall prey to violent extremism.

“Boko Haram [the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād – JAS] has leveraged this vulnerability to extend their process of recruitment and radicalisation.”

Mohammad urged community leaders and the government to meet so that they could solve the matter by using spies in the police force or in communities to gain intelligence about the gang’s movements.

He said citizens should remain vigilant all the time.

FALMATA MOHAMMED ALI