The police and other security agencies have been urged to step up their efforts to combat cultism and put an end to the country’s ongoing cult killings by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
The student body expressed concern about the recent surge in cult-related violence that has plagued the country, lamenting that these senseless killings had claimed the lives of many promising young Nigerians, instilled fear in residents, and disrupted the peaceful atmosphere required for the country’s socioeconomic growth.
In a statement signed by Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, the National Clerk of the Senate, NANS made the appeal on Saturday. The student body bemoaned the fact that members of competing cult groups were fighting one other in graphic ways in Sagamu, Ijebu-Ode, Abeokuta, Ilaro, Ota, and Ifo, among other parts of Ogun State, turning these areas into war zones.
On July 7, NANS issued a warning about potential attacks and violent altercations between rival cults, stating that the day is specifically designated to commemorate the day of a notable cult group, on which violent altercations between various cults take place.
The day is always marked by rival cult groups shedding blood to prove their notoriety and superiority.” “Cultism, as we all know, is not only an anomaly in our society; it is evil that has claimed the lives of so many students and other citizens. The threat has transformed Ogun State, particularly our schools, into battlefields in which members of various cult organisations compete for domination.
“The recent horrible attack and death of a final-year student at Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ogun State, by suspected cultists is heartbreaking and tragic.
According to eyewitnesses, Ahmed Ayinla Fabiyi, a student in the History and Diplomatic Studies Department, was about to take his final paper and celebrate his birthday on the same day when he was forcibly taken out of the examination hall.
What they’re saying
“Fabiyi, a suspected cultist, was reportedly hacked to death by members of his rival cult group directly on school grounds.
“It was gathered that the gang disguised themselves as friends, apparently to surprise Fabiyi for his birthday, and carried him out of the hall under this appearance.
“The NANS strongly condemns this cruel act. Our security authorities must find the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
“We appeal to the Ogun State government to guarantee that the killers of Fabiyi and those like him are not spared.
“We stress that partaking in cultism is not honourable, but rather a ruse to conduct evil and horrific actions. Students should not be cajoled into joining anyone, no matter how innocuous it appears on the surface. Cultism is cultism, and the consequences of indulging in it are invariably negative.
“Evil is evil, regardless of the colour you give it. Cultism is damaging, and it will only cause grief and anguish at the end of the day,” Odunayo stated.
Why this matters
NANS’s appeal highlights the need for a multifaceted approach involving law enforcement, community engagement, and preventive measures.
This could include better policing, stricter enforcement of laws, educational programs about the dangers of cultism, and support systems for at-risk youth. Addressing the root causes, such as social and economic inequalities, could also help in reducing the allure of cultism.
