Cultism is the practice where people form secret associations or groups that carry out unlawful, antisocial, and often violent activities.

Cultism is also define as a secret association whose activities are against the rules of society and whose members use violence, threats, and other criminal methods to achieve their aims.

Members usually operate secretly, take oaths, have symbols, and engage in rituals. Cultism is most common among students in secondary schools, tertiary institutions, and sometimes in communities.

1. School-based cultism – Cult groups formed within secondary schools.


2. Campus cultism – Secret cults found in universities and polytechnics.


3. Community cultism – Secret cults that operate in towns, villages, or neighbourhoods.

1. Poor parental training, broken homes, and lack of supervision.


2. Pressure from friends and classmates.


3. Copying violent lifestyles from films, music, internet, or foreign gangs.


4. Easy access to dangerous weapons.


5. Drug and substance abuse encourage cult violence, such as Cocaine, marijuana, tramadol, and alcohol .


6. Cult leaders influencing their friends.


7. Students joining cults to fight perceived unfair treatment.


8. The urge to control others or seek safety.


9. Using cult groups to intimidate others for money or influence.


10. Some youths join out of excitement or lack of knowledge of the dangers.

1. Violence and killings – Death of students and community members.


2. Breakdown of social values – Loss of respect for elders, teachers, and authority.


3. Emotional disturbances – Fear, trauma, and anxiety among members and victims.


4. Moral decadence – Immorality, lying, stealing, and sexual abuse.


5. Poor academic performance – Cultists neglect their studies.


6. Destruction of property – School buildings, homes, and businesses are damaged.


7. Fear and insecurity – Communities live in constant fear.


8. Legal punishment – Arrest, imprisonment, or expulsion from school.


9. Loss of lives and manpower – Youths killed or wasted, reducing the nation’s future workforce.

1. Dialogue at an early stage – Peaceful discussion before violence starts.


2. Moral support and guidance – Parents, teachers, and religious leaders guiding children.


3. Religious and moral education – Teaching values of honesty, peace, and respect.


4. Strict school rules and enforcement – Expulsion or suspension of cultists.


5. Government action – Banning cult groups and prosecuting offenders.


6. Positive peer group activities – Encouraging clubs, sports, and student associations.


7. Counseling and mentorship – Helping students make good life choices.


8. Public awareness campaigns – Educating youths on the dangers of cultism.


9. Employment opportunities – Reducing idleness that leads youths into cult groups.

1. Reduction in manpower – Youths die or drop out of school, reducing skilled workers.


2. Economic backwardness – Fear and insecurity discourage investment and learning.


3. Poor educational standard – School activities disrupted by violence.


4. Insecurity and instability – Peace in communities is destroyed.


5. Bad image for the country – Nigeria is seen as unsafe when cultism thrives.

1. Sudden change in behaviour.


2. Keeping late nights.


3. Use of strange signs, symbols, or slang.


4. Sudden wealth or unexplained gifts.


5. Isolation from family and good friends.

• Cult: secret, violent, antisocial, illegal.


• Club/Society: open, peaceful, educational, legal.

• Setting up anti-cultism laws (many Nigerian states have anti-cultism laws).


• Security agencies monitoring schools and communities.


• NGOs and religious bodies creating awareness campaigns.


• Media sensitisation on dangers of cultism.

• University cults such as Pyrates Confraternity (Sea Dogs), Buccaneers, Black Axe, etc.


• Secondary school cult clashes in states like Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Edo.