“He Was Just Buying Food”: Inside Nigeria’s Deadly Cultism Epidemic
It was an ordinary night in Mushin, Lagos. Twelve-year-old Wasiu left home with a few naira to buy dinner from a roadside food vendor. Minutes later, gunfire ripped through the air as rival cult groups clashed. Wasiu was hit by a stray bullet. He never made it back home.
Sadly, Wasiu’s story is not unique. Across Nigeria, a hidden war is raging in neighborhoods, schools, and communities — a war not formally declared but devastating in its scale. Cultism and street violence have claimed more than 1,680 lives between January 2021 and June 2024, according to SBM Intelligence. The victims are not only cult members. They are children, mothers, students, traders — everyday Nigerians.
The Bloody Reality: When Innocence Meets Gunfire
Street violence in Nigeria has escalated from isolated campus cult fights to full-blown community sieges.
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Lagos: Wasiu’s death in Mushin illustrates how ordinary lives are cut short without warning.
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Ondo: A mother and her infant were gunned down in Owo during a morning clash.
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Anambra: Thirteen people were killed during a New Yam Festival, turning a cultural celebration into a massacre.
These tragedies are not outliers. They are symptoms of a systemic problem — one that grows deadlier each year.
Why Cultism Thrives in Nigeria
Experts say cultism today is not confined to schools. Instead, it has spilled into the streets, fueled by:
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Poverty and Unemployment – Idle youths, desperate for survival and identity, are recruited.
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Peer Pressure and Social Belonging – Many join out of fear of exclusion or bullying.
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Political Exploitation – Politicians arm gangs during elections, leaving weapons and networks intact after polls.
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Weak Justice System – Arrested suspects often walk free, emboldening others.
Dr. Kevin Akan, a criminologist, notes that while campus cultism has declined, street violence is now the greater threat, driven by economics and politics.
The Human Cost: Families in Agony
Behind every statistic is a grieving family.
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Mr. Synclair, whose 21-year-old son was hacked to death in Bayelsa, still questions how neighbors watched but did nothing.
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Alfred Thomas lost his son, a graduate on the verge of national service. Suspects were arrested but later released — one, reportedly the son of a judge.
These fathers are left with shattered dreams, unresolved grief, and zero justice.
Psychologists warn that beyond death, survivors suffer trauma, depression, PTSD, and prolonged grief, destabilizing families and entire communities.
Economic Impact: A Billion-Dollar Loss
It’s not just lives being lost — it’s livelihoods. Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo revealed that cultism costs the state over $1 billion annually in lost investments. Businesses shut down, tourism stalls, and locals flee unsafe neighborhoods. Cult violence has become both a humanitarian and economic crisis.
Government Response: Not Enough?
Efforts include police crackdowns, amnesty programs, and community sensitization campaigns. In Ogun State, 48 cultists surrendered during an amnesty drive. Edo State has backed aggressive police action.
But these measures remain reactive. Experts argue that without systemic reforms, cultism will persist.
The Way Forward: Breaking the Cycle of Blood
To truly curb cultism, Nigeria must go beyond arrests:
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Stricter laws with real enforcement — ending impunity.
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Youth empowerment and job creation — offering alternatives to violence.
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Stronger parenting and moral education — reshaping values.
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Community accountability — ending protection of cultists by local leaders.
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Criminal justice reform — ensuring suspects face fair but firm prosecution.
As Dr. Akan emphasizes, “Making laws without enforcement is mere advice.” The fight requires social reorientation and systemic change.
Conclusion: A War Nigeria Can No Longer Ignore
Nigeria’s cultism epidemic is not just a crime issue — it is a national emergency. Every stray bullet that takes an innocent life erodes public trust, cripples the economy, and deepens fear.
The question is: How many more Wasius, Ayakpos, and Direalas must die before Nigeria confronts this plague head-on?
Until government, communities, and citizens unite to end this scourge, the sound of gunfire may continue to replace the laughter of Nigeria’s children.
