"There was the mafia in the Palese reception centre": Nigerian gangs had created a climate of fear

BARI - The Nigerian gangs hosted until a few years ago at the Cara di Bari Palese, the Reception Center for asylum seekers, had all the characteristics of mafia groups: violence, subjugation of the victims, affiliation rites. The Court of Cassation is convinced of this, having overturned the decision of the judges of the Court of Appeal of Bari who a year ago had excluded the mafia nature of those criminal associations, accused of having managed for years the racket of prostitution of compatriot women and the begging of beggars.

The Supreme Court has in fact accepted the appeal of the Attorney General, annulling with referral the sentence against 22 defendants, considered leaders and members of the two opposing cultist associations, the Vikings or Arobaga or Rossi, with the 28-year-old Trinity Gbidi in a top position as Emeretus; and the Eiye or Blue (from the colors of the clothing worn by the followers as a distinctive sign), led by the Ibaka Ship John Nosa, 38 years old. The two had been sentenced in the first instance to 19 years and 8 months and 18 years respectively: sentences significantly reduced on appeal (due to the exclusion of the mafia) to 11 years and 2 months of imprisonment and to 10 years and 2 months...