A razor blade brand which shares its name with an Islamist militant group that has been terrorising residents of Mozambique's northern-most province of Cabo Delgado has alarmed authorities.

The Alshabab razor blade has been growing in popularity in the last year.

The authorities now fear that there might be some link with the militants.

The head of the police, Bernardino Rafael, has now ordered officers to gather information about the Alshabab razor blade to determine if it's part of the militants' propaganda.

Some municipal markets in the city of Pemba, the provincial capital of Cabo Delgado, have been selling the razors since last year, according to local media reports.

The product has been spotted in the capital, Maputo, and is now marketed in Manica province, local media report.