From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on the police and other security agencies to intensify their efforts in combating cultism, and ending the incessant cult killings in the country.
The student body expressed worry over 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 among residents, and disrupted the peaceful atmosphere essential for socio-economic growth of the country.
NANS made the call yesterday in a statement signed by the National Clerk of the Senate, Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
The student body lamented that cultism had turned some parts of Ogun State, particularly Sagamu, Ijebu-Ode, Abeokuta, Ilaro, Ota and Ifo into theatres of war, as members of rival cult groups engage one and other in gruesome clashes.
NANS raised the alarm over impending attacks and bloody clash between rival cult groups today. July 7, saying “7/7 is a date particularly set aside to mark day of a notorious cult group, where different cult group engage in bloody clash
“The day is always marked with blood shed by rival cult groups to demonstrate their notoriety and superiority.
“Cultism, as we all know is not only an aberration in our society, it is evil that has caused the deaths of so many students and other residents. The menace has turned Ogun State, particularly our campuses to theatres of war, where members of different cult groups battle for supremacy.
“The recent gruesome attack and murder of a final year student of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ogun State, by suspected cultists is heart-wrenching and saddening.
“According to an eye-witness account, Ahmed Ayinla Fabiyi, a student of the History and Diplomatic Studies Department, was set to take his final paper and celebrate his birthday on the same day, when he was brazenly dragged out of the examination hall.
“Fabiyi, a suspected cultist was reportedly hacked to death by members of his rival cult group right in the school premises.
“It was gathered that the gang disguised as friends, ostensibly there to surprise Fabiyi for his birthday, and carried him out of the hall under this pretence.
“NANS condemns this barbaric act in a strong term. The perpetrators must be fished out by our security agencies and be made to face justice.
“We, hereby, appeal to the Ogun State government under to ensure the killers of Fabiyi and many others like him don’t go unpunished.
“We, hereby, reiterate that engaging in cultism is not noble, but a facade to perpetrate evil and commit heinous crimes. Students should not allow themselves to be cajoled into joining any one, no matter innocuous it may appear on the surface. Cultism is cultism, and the result of engaging in it is always regretabble.
“Evil is evil no matter the colouration you give to it. Cultism is destructive and it will only bring pain and anguish at the end of the day,” Odunayo said.