Universities Linked to Cultism Incidents in Nigeria

Are you a student hoping to enroll in one of the Nigerian universities and want to avoid a situation where your chosen institution turns out to be one with a high cultism rate?

You probably desire that your time in school is well spent in a serene learning environment void of casualties caused by clashes between cult groups.

You must consider playing your role by doing some background research on the institution you plan to apply for.

Cultism is a critical factor that has affected the progress of Nigerian universities through which innocent lives are lost, properties are destroyed, and the peace and orderliness in schools are disrupted.

There’s no official ranking of “most cultism-affected” universities; no government body or NUC publishes one. What follows is a list of universities that Nigerian news media have repeatedly linked to cult-related incidents over the years. A mention here reflects reported history, not a current safety score, and plenty of students complete their degrees at every school on this list without incident.

What is Cultism?

Cultism is the practice and devotion of a cult. A group of people comes together to preserve and defend its member’s interests while keeping their power base hidden from outsiders.

It is a kind of engagement by people whose goals are ingenuine.

According to the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, section 318 defines a cult as a group of people, registered or not, that use signs to promote their interest, usually held in secret.

Tertiary institutions are faced with the attacks such as arm robbery attacks, rape, kidnapping, assault of lecturers, etc., by cultism groups almost every semester.

Students are equally made not to dress to their taste because they are scared of wearing certain colours that are termed colours of these cult groups.

It is surprising to see students join cultist groups seeing how dreadful they can be.

Students join cultism for various reasons, such as belonging (bad peer pressure), gaining power, gaining respect from lecturers and fellow students, avoiding being intimidated, gaining power, being oppressed, etc.

Universities Repeatedly Linked to Cultism Incidents

These are listed in no particular ranked order:

1. University of Benin (UNIBEN)

UNIBEN has had a long history of media reports tying it to campus cult activity, more than most Nigerian universities. Confraternities reportedly active in the area over the years include Black Axe, Eiye, and Vikings, among others, according to news coverage and student accounts, though the university’s current security situation can change from year to year.

2. University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT)

UNIPORT has featured in multiple news reports over cult-related violence, including incidents linked to the Vikings confraternity. Reports describe activity that went beyond secrecy into open intimidation on campus at points in the university’s history.

3. Delta State University (DELSU)

The issue of cultism at Delta State University should be addressed urgently.

The case of clashes between cultist groups in the university has affected the learning activities in the school, as it can put lectures on hold and stop students from going to school.

4. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH)

The Ladoke Akintola University of Technology has been tagged as an institution with one of the highest rates of cultism activities.

The university has cases of murder of students, with some injured due to clashes between cult groups.

Students have reported being scared to go to night classes to study as they are unaware of the danger they might face.

The implication of the cult activities, students have been made to study and learn in perpetual fear.

5. River State University (RSU)

River State University has been noted to have various cult clashes where lives are lost, properties are destroyed, and the peace and orderliness of the institution are disrupted.

This doesn’t mean every RSU student will encounter cult-related violence, but it’s worth factoring into your research on the school.

6. University of Calabar (UNICAL)

UNICAL is another southern Nigerian university that has repeatedly come up in cultism-related news coverage, with reported ties to groups including Black Axe, Vikings, and the Mafia confraternity.

7. Ekiti State University (EKSU)

The Ekiti State University is common with cult groups like Black axe and Eieye Confraternity.

Media reports have described repeated cult-related incidents at EKSU over the years.

There have been efforts by the state government to control the situation, but even then, cases of casualties by cult groups in the university still exist.

8. University of Ibadan (UI)

Going back to the history of cultism in Nigeria, It is said that cultism attacks started in the first premier university, the University of Ibadan, in 1952.

The founding group, the Pyrates Confraternity (now the National Association of Seadogs), was started by Wole Soyinka and six other students who wanted to push back against elitism and tribalism among students at the time. The confraternity was peaceful in its original form; it was in the 1980s that copycat groups turned violent, spawning the cult culture that spread to other campuses.

How to Use This Information

Cultism has been a real, documented problem across many Nigerian universities, not just the ones named here. Rather than avoiding a school entirely based on past news reports, ask current students about the campus climate, check for recent incidents, and look at what security measures the university has put in place before you make your decision.