French authorities are becoming increasingly concerned about the expansion of Nigerian secret cults which doubled as criminal organizations in the country.
A report in Le Monde said these cults, characterised by strict codes, brutal initiation rites, and hierarchical structures demanding absolute obedience, are gradually extending their influence across France.
While their presence in Paris remains largely undocumented, reports suggest that Nigerian gangs unaffiliated with these cults may be laying the groundwork for their future operations.
According to a detailed note from the Parisian judicial police, Nigerian gangs currently occupy a “limited market segment in the Paris metropolitan area,” facing competition from well-established local criminal networks.
However, the situation in other parts of France, particularly Marseille, is causing growing alarm among law enforcement officials.
Marseille, a port city in southern France with a long history of organized crime, has become a focal point for the activities of Nigerian criminal groups.
Judicial police investigators have noted a troubling increase in the number of Nigerian suspects involved in drug trafficking in the city.
The number of individuals arrested for such activities nearly tripled from 20 in 2021 to 59 in 2023, signaling a rapid escalation of their involvement in the city’s underworld.
The report says Nigerians in Marseille started by working for established drug trafficking networks, often beginning at the bottom as lookouts or street dealers.
Over time, they began to take on more significant roles, including carrying out retaliatory attacks against rivals and protecting drug distribution points.
According to several local police sources, Nigerian gangs have now managed to take control of at least one drug outlet in Parc Kalliste, located in Marseille’s 15th arrondissement.
