Men of the Night

Vigilantism in the context in which I first encountered it, is a practice of having a group of young men stand guard and provide "communal protection".


I believe this practice is as old as time, borne out of instinctive male protectiveness to guard and defend property, valuables and loved ones from harm or theft.
Its is not unique to a tribe, so you will find the practice of vigilantism in the Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa and many minority ethnic groups, however these ethnic groups perform their activities in different ways. Vigilante activities or patrols are usually done at night, with the groups making unique sounds to give a sense of safety to others who many happen to be awake at home.


The use of weaponry is also common with vigilantism as growing needs and rising crime trends necessitate though originally, most vigilante groups relied mostly on the use of witchcraft and sorcery to ensure their safety during confrontations or when they have to be engaged in violent attacks. They would make incantations before/during and after or wear amulets to ward off danger. Today, with technological advancement there is a sophistication to the arms and ammunition in possession of vigilante groups.


To the question of it's relevance, one would have hoped that with the existence of law enforcement agencies, vigilante groups would be extinct. This not the case however for many reasons that would be an epistle to write about. However, I can give two of theses reasons. First, is the inefficiency of the police, they are underpaid and not properly trained. Second, is the fact that because of the historical link to the practice of vigilantism, many vigilante groups developed such reputation and social acceptance that they are longer just "night watchmen", they formed civil unions, are registered Associations and openly participate in political propaganda. They are better protection for political leaders who want to secure their lives and willing to use "diabolical" means.


Conclusively, you should know that there is a difference between vigilantism and "cultism". Many people conclude that the practice of vigilantism is the root cause of detrimental effects that have been experienced at the hands of cultism. Though there are many similarities in both - young virile men, confidential society, use of arms, witchcraft, etc, the ideologies behind each activity differs.
They are not assassins or paid killer either, just custodians of a tradition that allows me sleep better at night when I hear their *kock kock kock* and who would go extinct when basic infrastructures work perfectly.