Bakassi Boys

The Bakassi Boys are a group of Nigerian youth vigilantes known for their use of sorcery and dark magic,[1][2][3][4] or Juju as commonly used in the Nigerian slang, to curb crime more efficiently and ultimately eliminate all forms of vices in the south-eastern region of Nigeria, which according to the vigilante group includes robberies, ritual killings, kidnaping, and ironically even the practice of dark magic itself, as can be observed in the case of the charismatic Eddy Nawgu, an alleged false prophet and occultist whom they killed and beheaded.

The Bakassi Boys are usually armed with machetes and guns and an array of black magic artifacts and Juju worn around their body.[5] They operate in the Igbo area of Nigeria and have been accused of extrajudicial killings[6] of suspected petty thieves, armed robbers, ritual killers, murderers, corrupt persons, and generally anyone they considered evil.[7] The manner in which they knew or discovered if one was evil or not was by the use of dark magic in which they placed a magical silver-colored machete[8][3] on the chest of any suspicious person, and if the machete's color changed from silver to blood red it meant the person had committed a heinous crime at some point in their life, and invariably such a person would be killed immediately.

In the south-eastern part of Nigeria, especially Anambra State, they still enjoy popular support in the areas where they operate because the vices in the region have been greatly reduced since the inception of the vigilante group in 1998.[9] According to publications by various Nigerian media houses, their greatest metaphysical power was their ability to be immune to gunshot wounds;[1][10][11] even when shot multiple times at close range, they wouldn't flinch nor sustain any injuries. This metaphysical power was referred to as Odeshi amongst the Igbo people of Nigeria.[12] Odeshi is an Igbo word that means "It does not leak" or "it would not leak",[13] which meant if anyone shot them with a gun it wouldn't pierce their skins hence their blood would not leak.

The Bakassi Boys have since 2004 rebranded as Anambra Vigilante Services (AVS), Imo Vigilante Services (IVS) and Abia Vigilante Services (AVS)[14] and have had their activities reduced significantly.[15]