The New Mafioso: ’Yan daba, Yan Banga and Yan Daukar amarya
p. 4-5
Texte intégral
1’Yan8, is a Hausa prefix that literally means ‘the children of or ‘sons of. Daba here, is synonymous with ’Yan Tauri; in Hausa, tauri means the invulnerable. The ’Yan Daba are, therefore, the invulnerable. The ’Yan Banga (or Sintiri) means sons of the Sentry. ’Yan Daukar Amarya literally means the sons who carry the new bride home.
2There is no doubt that members of these gangs are aware of the implications of their anti-social activities, and are thus very conscious of their personal security. To avoid being arrested by law enforcement agents, these gangs use the services of traditional/native doctors for protection. These traditional doctors (boka, mai magani, etc.) provide their clients with all sorts of charms, not only to preserve their lives but also to wreak havoc on their perceived enemies. One charm, Layan zana, is said to provide the user with a premonition of danger. Other charms are used to gain access to a house without breaking any door or window. Members also claim to have charms which make them disappear when caught in a building or during a police chase. This charm is aided by an evil spirit, Iska; the user enters into covenant with Iska through the mediation of the boka (the traditional doctor).
3Various charms are also used to protect members against injuries from weapons such as knives, cutlasses, matchets, nails, etc. Instead of piercing the body, these objects bend. There is also a charm that reduces bullets to powder thereby deflecting entry into the body during gun battles. Belief in the effectiveness of these charms has made these gangs fearless.
4For a better understanding of these groups, each will be examined individually, on the basis of membership, activities, mode of operation, targets and sponsors.
Notes de bas de page
8 ’Yan is the plural of dan, the Hausa word for "son of."
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