Rivers, Lagos, Edo top list as cult clashes claim 1,686 lives in 5 years
No fewer than 1,686 lives were lost in at least 909 cult and gang-related incidents across Nigeria between January 2020 and March 2025, according to a new report by SBM Intelligence. The report identifies the South-South and South-West zones as the most affected, with Rivers,Lagos, and Edo states topping the fatality chart.Data from the report […]
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No fewer than 1,686 lives were lost in at least 909 cult and gang-related incidents across Nigeria between January 2020 and March 2025, according to a new report by SBM Intelligence.
The report identifies the South-South and South-West zones as the most affected, with Rivers,Lagos, and Edo states topping the fatality chart.Data from the report shows that Rivers State recorded the highest number of deaths at215, followed by Lagos with 197 deaths, and Edo with 192 fatalities.
These states are long-standing hotspots of gang rivalry involving groups such as Vikings,Icelanders, Greenlanders, Eiye, Aiye, and Black Axe.The South-South region accounted for over 750 deaths, largely driven by violentconfrontations in Rivers, Delta, and Bayelsa States. In the Southwest, over 491 deathswere linked to recurring turf wars between Aiye and Eiye confraternities, especially inLagos and Ogun States.
In Edo, Ogun, and Delta States alone, a combined 490 incidents,representing 54% of the national total were reported, resulting in 899 deaths, which account for53.3% of all fatalities. Notably, Edo State witnessed a deadly outbreak in December 2023, when a clash between Black Axe and Eiye cultists claimed over 30 lives in one week.
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Also, the Southeast region, particularly Anambra State, recorded over 215 deaths, with cult-related killings often linkedto separatist tensions and rising Viking and Aiye activity. Anambra alone according to the data accounted for 128 fatalities, while Akwa Ibom (89 deaths) and Bayelsa (69 deaths) continued to witness cult and militant violence.
In the Northcentral zone, Benue State recorded 204 deaths, attributed to the activities of cult groups like Scavengers and Chain, often operating alongside ongoing communal conflicts.Similarly, Kwara recorded 58 deaths also in gang-related violence.
In contrast, the Northeast andNorthwest regions experienced significantly lower cult-related activity. States such as Borno,Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara reported zero fatalities, this is attributed to the presence ofterrorist groups like Boko Haram and armed bandits, which limit traditional gang operations.The data also shows the number of deaths occurred in 2021 as the highest in the yearsunder review, with 377 fatalities across 173 incidents, the report linked the incident to post-COVID economic hardship and political unrest.
This was followed by a drop in 2022, which saw 228 deaths from 97 incidents.In 2024, cult activity increased to a record 273 incidents, the highest for any single year, although the lethality per clash declined.On average, the country recorded 1.85 deaths per incident, based on the 909 verified incidents between January 2020 and March 2025. However, 645 other incidents, accounting for 1,286 additional deaths, were excluded from the final dataset because the specific gangs involved could not be identified.Cult clashes fueled by poverty, politics, institutional failures – Security analyst.
A security and intelligence expert, Dr. Kabiru Adamu, has attributed the persistent rise in cult and gang-related killingsin Nigeria to a combination of socio-economic disparities, weak governance, and institutional breakdowns, warning that the situation could worsen if not urgently addressed through comprehensive reforms.
Speaking in an interview with Daily Trust, Dr. Adamu identifi ed widespread poverty, high unemployment, and a lack of economic opportunities as key drivers pushing young people intocultism.
“Th e lure of quick wealth, financial desperation, and rising cost of living, especiallyin the context of inflation, are contributing to the growing appeal of gang life,” he said.He also noted that materialism and over-pampering by wealthy parents have, in some cases,indirectly funded cult activities.
“Some young people are enabled by the resources theyget from home, with little moral supervision,” he added.According to Dr. Adamu, cult groups are often sponsored or protected by political actors,especially during election seasons.
“Th ere’s a growing trend of politicians arming cultists for useas thugs, with little accountability,” he explained, adding that judicial corruption and weak enforcementof the law further embolden these groups. “Delayed trials, bribes, and a compromised judiciary havecreated a culture of impunity.
Cult leaders operate without fear because they know they’ll likely escape punishment,” he said.“The situation is worsened by partisan security agencies, porous borders that facilitate illegal armsinflow, and the over-centralization of Nigeria’s security architecture,” he added.
Dr. Adamu also pointed to peer pressure, emotional distress, broken homes, and drug abuse asadditional factors.
“Many young people join cults to find belonging, protection, or power. Others are emotionally disturbed and looking for identity or purpose,” he said, warning that the influence of violent foreign media content also plays a role in shaping aggressive behaviour.
Dr. Adamu spotted the declinein Nigeria’s educational system and the erosion of academic culture as fertile ground for cultism, especially in tertiary institutions. “Many schools lack recreational facilities, have poor management student relationships, and are unable to guide students morally or psychologically,” he said.On policing, he pointed to corruption, inadequate personnel and equipment, and low morale,as serious challenges. “In many cases, cult groups are better armed than the police.There’s also inter-agency rivalry and little collaboration with communities,” he stated.
To address the crisis, Dr. Adamu recommended a multipronged approach, beginningwith poverty alleviation and youth employment. He advocated targeted job creation programmes,increased support for smallholder farmers, and the expansion of conditional cash transfers (CCTs)with improved transparency.
He further stressed the need for education reforms, including vocational and skills training,integration of peace and moral education, and the provision of recreational facilities and schoolfeeding programs to boost student engagement and enrollment.Create safe, value based school environment to tackle cultism – EducationistAn educationist, Prof. Nuhu Gapsiso, has called for deliberate and sustained efforts to createsafer and more supportive school environments as a key strategy to combat the rising trend of cultismamong students.
He stressed that beyond punishment and security measures, schools must adopt preventive approaches that instill positive values and a sense of belonging in students.“To effectively curb cultism in our schools, we must prioritise creating a sense of safety andbelonging for all students,” he said. Prof. Gapsiso advocated the introduction of consistentcounseling programmes tailored to educate students on the dangers and consequences of cultism. Hesaid such engagements would help young people build resilience against peer pressure anddeceptive influences.
He also urged school authorities to organise regular awareness campaigns aimed at exposing the realities and long term harm associated with cult involvement. According to him,these campaigns would not only discourage prospective members but also empower students tomake informed choices.“Most importantly, we must nurture a culture that encourages students to live lives rooted in contentment, self worth, and positive values,” he added, emphasising that long-term solutions lie incharacter development and value reorientation.
Prof. Gapsiso also linked the growing menace of cultism in schools to students’ increasing desire for material gains, power, and peer recognition.According to him, many young people are lured into cult groups with the promise of protection,influence, and elevated status, especially in environments where they feel unsafe or lack confidence.
“The lust for material things and the quest for power, to be feared or respected by peers, have pushed many students into cultism,” he said.