The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on the police and other security agencies to intensify efforts to combat cultism and end the ongoing cult killings across the country.
In a statement released on Saturday and signed by the National Clerk of the Senate, Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, NANS expressed deep concern over the recent surge in cult-related violence, noting that these senseless killings have claimed the lives of many promising young Nigerians, instilled fear among residents, and disrupted the peaceful atmosphere essential for the socio-economic growth of the nation.
NANS highlighted the severe impact of cultism in parts of Ogun State, particularly in Sagamu, Ijebu-Ode, Abeokuta, Ilaro, Ota, and Ifo, where rival cult groups have turned these areas into battlegrounds.
The student body raised an alarm about impending attacks and clashes on July 7, a date notorious for cult-related violence. “7/7 is a day marked by a notorious cult group, leading to bloody clashes as different cult groups demonstrate their notoriety and superiority,” the statement said.
“Cultism is not only an aberration in our society, but it is also an evil that has caused the deaths of many students and residents. This menace has turned Ogun State, particularly our campuses, into war zones.”
NANS condemned the recent gruesome attack and murder of Ahmed Ayinla Fabiyi, a final-year student of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) in Ijagun, Ogun State.
According to eyewitnesses, Fabiyi, a student of the History and Diplomatic Studies Department, was dragged out of an examination hall by suspected cultists on the day he was set to take his final paper and celebrate his birthday. He was brutally hacked to death by members of a rival cult group disguised as friends.
“NANS condemns this barbaric act in the strongest terms. The perpetrators must be apprehended by our security agencies and brought to justice,” the statement read.
“We appeal to the Ogun State government to ensure the killers of Fabiyi and others like him do not go unpunished.”
The student body urged students to avoid being lured into joining cult groups, emphasizing that cultism only leads to pain and regret.
“Engaging in cultism is not noble; it is a facade to perpetrate evil and commit heinous crimes.Students should not be cajoled into joining any group, no matter how innocuous it may appear.
Cultism is destructive and will only bring pain and anguish in the end,” Odunayo concluded.
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