Sara-suka, cultism taking Jos by storm

With ethno-religious crisis almost a thing of the past in Jos, the Plateau State capital, emerging security challenges are sending shivers to communities despite a high presence of security personnel within the city centre. The rising cases of criminal gangs, popularly referred to as Yan Sara-suka, and cult groups within densely populated communities, are threatening […]

With ethno-religious crisis almost a thing of the past in Jos, the Plateau State capital, emerging security challenges are sending shivers to communities despite a high presence of security personnel within the city centre. The rising cases of criminal gangs, popularly referred to as Yan Sara-suka, and cult groups within densely populated communities, are threatening to return the state capital back to the volatile days of fear, division and anguish. Right now, the activities of Sara-suka, a criminal gang more commonly among Muslim Hausa communities in Jos north, and cultism among Christian communities around Gada-biyu and environs are seen as the two major security threats bedevilling the city.

Rising cases of cultism

In 2017, the Permanent Secretary, Security in Plateau State, Cornelius Sholbial attributed the low level of nightlife activities in Jos to rising cases of cultism. Sholbial stated this while answering questions during a media parley between Governor Simon Bako Lalong and journalists as part of activities marking that year’s Democracy Day. He had noted that tricycle riders, popularly referred to as Keke-napep were mostly targeted by the cultists and it was partly why the state government had banned their movement after 9pm.  

At the time he made the statement, not many had insight as to the severity of cult activities around the metropolis until early May when members of two deadly cult groups clashed around Gada-biyu, leading to the death of about 11 people. The clash had been a climax of what members of the community described as weeks of tit-for-tat killings between the Black Axe and the Red Axe. Prior to the clash, members of the affected communities had suspected that certain sinister activities among some residents could be linked to cult groups, but only few had known for sure that cultists were living comfortably among the people.

“Cult activities used to be known as one of the major vices confronting Nigeria’s tertiary education, but today, the menace has spilled to the streets of Jos, with members living discreetly among closely knit communities,” Joseph Idu, a resident of Gada-biyu said.

Idu, who asked Daily Trust on Sunday to protect his true identity, said the activities of the cult groups had almost led to chaos in Government Secondary School (GSS), Kabong a few weeks ago. He said, “A secondary school female student who was dating a cult member reported to him that a teacher had flogged her. If not for the quick intervention of some community leaders and youths, GSS Kabong would have been burnt down because the cult member was threatening to avenge for his girlfriend.”

Another community leader who pledged anonymity because he had been threatened by the group said, “One of the groups used to converge in a hotel called Cool Penny, but it was recently demolished by members of the other gang during the clash. After security operation in May, a lot of cultists were arrested while others went underground, but we suspect that they are now regrouping because they have commenced reconstructing that building.”

He said the cultists lived in the crannies and most often look miserable because they are stern alcoholics and drug addicts. Joseph Idu said though their mode of operation still remained mysterious, the main target was to get elevated in ranks as they kill major targets of rival cult groups. 

“The issue of cultism is dicey around the Kabong axis, which include Gada-biyu. Nobody wants to talk about it because you may be targeted. The security agents are doing their best, but they are not spirits and some parents are shielding their children because of fear that they may also attack them,” he said. 

Sara-suka strikes again

The activities of Sara-suka are common within Jos city. Except when members of different gangs clash or engage in killings and reprisals, members of the gang are mostly said to display their viciousness during religious and cultural festivities. This explains why the latest attack occurred two days after the Sallah celebration when security relaxed a little. 

Last Monday’s incident occurred about 2am when members of a rival gang from Bulbula went on a rampage in a ritual they refer to as ‘shara’ (to clear whatever is in their path) around Congo-Russia, passing through Dan Maraya Street to Bauchi road and leaving a trail of broken glasses from the 35 vehicles and 39 tricycles they damaged.

In the past, such rampages occurred before midnight and the gang’s ‘shara’ had often led to injuries and sometimes killing of residents. 

The origin of Sara-suka, many residents said, was never embedded in the Jasawa (Hausa residents of Jos) culture but traced to an ideology introduced by immigrant Nigeriens who lived among residents of Rikkos and other Hausa-dominated communities for years. Because of years of living side by side with a common language and religion, Hausa youths in mostly Rikkos, Kwanan Shagari, Bulbula, Febuna, Yan tipper, Gangare and other areas adopted and inculcated the negative traits. 

Gradually becoming a collective threat to the streets of Jos, unleashing havoc and attacking and killing anyone who stands in their way, members of the Sara-suka are known to be malicious and have no regard for human lives. 

“They are mostly youths between 14 and 28 years. They target people mostly at night, including members of vigilante groups who they used to fear,” said Ibrahim Isa, a resident of Bauchi road.  

The commander, Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Jos-North, Alhaji Sani Kachalla, said the most dangerous trend is that the thugs have been getting more organised and have established a leadership structure. In 2017, his claim was backed by an Intelligence officer in Plateau State who warned that members of the various gangs were growing in ranks and that certain parts of their bodies were designed with inks as they transform into a kind of cult.

Kachalla is of the opinion that the activities of the gang were beginning to look like that of a cult. “It used to be just thuggery, but there are fears now that it may be something else because their activities are beginning to look like a cult group. It may not be a formal cult group, but there are some similarities,” he said.

The police public relations officer in Plateau State, ASP Tyopev Terna, said apart from the 23 knives, 125 sachets of tramadol opioids and 95 wraps of substances suspected to be Indian hemp recovered from some arrested members of the gang, they were also found to be in possession of several forms of “assorted charms.”

In the last few months, the gang increasingly became either more reckless or bolder as they took to stabbing, and in some cases, killing members of vigilante groups. In November 2017, a deputy vigilante ward commander in charge of Sarkin Arab in Jos-North was stabbed to death by members of the gang. The vigilante leader, Musa Jalo, popularly called Baba Musa, was the fourth victim to be killed by the gangs within that period. 

Kachalla, who has been a victim of the gang himself said, “They attacked some of our members during this Sallah period, and we almost lost one, but he is recovering in the hospital.” 

Community, youths ready to fight back

Two weeks ago, members of Dilimi community in Jos-North took matters into their hands when they attacked and killed a notorious leader of the Sara-suka gang, whom they claimed had killed innocent residents and rendered many incapacitated. 

Kachalla, the vigilante leader, said the victim was a notorious gang member from Bulbula and an indigene of Niger Republic who had killed an innocent member of the Dilimi community. “He was a mafia. He had killed many people, so when the community members sighted him, they took their vengeance through jungle justice,” he said.   

The police in Plateau State said the activities of Sara-suka and cultists soared because parents and community leaders continued to shield the criminals and do not report cases until the situation becomes overwhelming. Sources from Gada-biyu, however, said parents only did that out of the fear that they may become victims in the hands of their wards.  

However, parents and guardians who hitherto shielded their children from the law are now getting bolder and providing information to security agents. 

 “Since the cultists clashed in May, we are now very vigilant. When we notice some discussions with our kids that we do not understand, we raise the alarm because it may be an attempt to initiate them. Recently, we suspected that a cultist tried to initiate a boy based on the kind of discussions they were having, and when we raised the alarm, he left the community. We have not seen him till today,” Idu revealed.

On Sara-suka, Kachalla said, “In the past, the parents shielded their children from the law and provided the resources to ensure they were bailed. But now, the children are turning against their parents, and because they now know that they can harm them, they are beginning to cooperate.”

The spokesman of the police, ASP Terna re-emphasised this statement when he said, “Now that they are beginning to hit at their immediate communities, the communities are now ready to cooperate with the police. That was why we were able to arrest many of the cultists in Gada-biyu, and recently, the Sara-suka gang.”

Also, several youths with large social media followership are now taking to social media to challenge youths and community leaders to fight back.

Police clamp down on criminals 

Recently, security agents nabbed one of the most wanted leaders of the group in Jos. 

“We arrested the gang leader, Umar Ibrahim, alias Dangari. This is a big one for us. After a careful and painstaking investigation, the leader of Sara-suka has been charged to court, together with 32 of his members on Wednesday over the offence of criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, mischief, causing hurt and being in possession of dangerous weapons.

 “They have all been remanded in prison custody till July, 25, 2018. Ninety-five wraps of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, 120 sachets of Tramadol, 23 long knives and assorted charms were tendered as exhibits,’’ Terna said.

“There is a link between idleness and drug abuse, as well as criminality,” Idu said, adding that the communities where these deadly gangs reside are some of the most densely populated, with a lot of unemployed youths. He said government must realise that these youths must be engaged, and because they are not, they turn to alcohol, drugs and criminality. The central link that merges Sara-suka and cultists are the drugs they take. “It is what prompts them, and under normal circumstances, they do not go for any operation unless they are high,” the police spokesman said.

Way forward

The commander of vigilante group in Jos-North, Sani Kachalla said, “There is no law proscribing their activities, so not much can be done. Unless government takes this matter seriously, communities would continue to engage in jungle justice like what happened a few weeks back.”  

The police also advised that members of the public should be willing to give information discreetly. “Whether cultism or Sara-suka, communities need to take the bold steps to come out and speak. For example, if members of the Gada-biyu community have the information that the cultists are regrouping, they should tell us. If we strike them they will know very well that we are serious,” the police spokesman said.      

AbdulMutallib Muktar, a youth in Jos-North, however, stated on his Facebook account that to get a permanent solution to the menace of Sara-suka, communities must tackle the problem from its root, which he said was embedded in the lack of moral values at home. He stated that communities must collectively sanction parents who try to secure bail for any child arrested for thuggery. 

ASP Terna further said, “To tackle this menace, parents must begin to meet up with the demands of their children because right now, the children are mostly fending for themselves, which is why they get into unwholesome activities. Parents must discipline their children.”