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Terror On the Streets: Southeast, South-South States Bleed As Cult Gangs Take Over.
The rising wave of cult-related violence across Nigeria’s South-South and Southeast regions has triggered widespread fear and concern, with communities from Anambra to Bayelsa struggling to contain the menace. According to Nivo News, the scourge, which began as campus-based rivalries, has spilled into towns and villages, claiming hundreds of lives and deepening insecurity in many areas.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
In Anambra State, the capital city of Awka has long been the epicentre of cult clashes. During the tenure of a former Commissioner of Police, Enaghe Obono Itam, reports indicated that up to five youths were killed daily in bloody confrontations between rival groups. Although the rate of killings appears to have dropped in 2025, the scars remain deep. Peer pressure, poor parental guidance, and the lure of power within political circles have been identified as major factors fuelling the crisis.
Police spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, recently disclosed that 54 suspects—39 men and 15 women—were arrested in connection with cult activities following an intelligence-led raid at Ogidi in Idemili North Local Government Area. Despite repeated clampdowns, human rights groups estimate that over 300 young people have lost their lives to cult-related clashes in Awka, Ogidi, and Obosi alone.
The Anambra State Government, through the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, said efforts were ongoing to curb the trend, stressing that it would take collective engagement from parents, schools, and community leaders to restore peace.
In Abia State, cultism has also taken deep roots, spreading from tertiary institutions into secondary schools and neighbourhoods. Nivo News gathered that the violence has been linked to recruitment of young pupils into confraternities, resulting in rape, robbery, and drug-related crimes. The state government has ordered a renewed crackdown, warning that cult groups will no longer be tolerated.
Similarly, Ebonyi State—once regarded as peaceful—has witnessed repeated bloodshed in towns such as Ohaukwu and Oriuzor. At least three people were killed in January 2024 in a deadly confrontation between rival groups. Authorities say poverty, poor leadership, and lack of opportunities have created fertile ground for the spread of cultism. The police have launched sensitisation programmes across schools to discourage students from joining cult groups, while the Nigerian Army has pledged to support universities in the fight against campus violence.
Data obtained by Nivo News revealed that between 2023 and mid-2025, several dozen deaths were recorded in Ebonyi due to cult clashes. In May 2025, an Ebonyi State High Court sentenced four cultists to death for the murder of a 26-year-old man, a verdict hailed as a victory for justice.
Enugu State has also been hit by the rising tide. A September bonfire party at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, ended in tragedy when a young man, Chiebonam Nweze, was stabbed to death in a suspected cult-related attack. The university immediately banned social events after 6 p.m. as police intensified raids that led to the arrest of 122 suspects within six months. Officials said cultism had grown beyond campuses into artisan and motorcyclist communities.
In Imo State, the situation is equally grim. Reports show that over 140 people lost their lives in the first six weeks of 2025 alone due to cult clashes in hotspots like Orlu, Owerri, Ikeduru, and Obinze. Rival groups, including the Aye (Black Axe), Vikings, and De-Gbam confraternities, have been linked to the killings. The police have arrested thousands of suspects and recovered arms in an ongoing crackdown. Education officials say even secondary schools are not spared, with teachers adopting strict monitoring to detect and prevent cult activities.
Bayelsa State has also recorded a disturbing surge in cult violence, particularly in Yenagoa, where clashes between rival groups—the Greenlanders and the Bobos—have left no fewer than 25 people dead since January. The conflict reportedly intensified over control of a transport terminal in Igbogene community. The killings prompted the imposition of a curfew and mass arrests.
Civil rights activist, Comrade David-West Bekinwarie, criticised what he described as government’s leniency towards cultists, calling for stiffer penalties including the death sentence. He accused politicians of emboldening cult groups during election periods, making enforcement difficult. In response, Governor Douye Diri warned students at Niger Delta University to renounce cultism or face expulsion, directing the university and security agencies to identify and prosecute offenders.
As the crisis deepens across the South-South and Southeast, experts warn that the cult menace can no longer be treated as an isolated criminal issue but as a major social emergency requiring collective action. Stakeholders agree that beyond policing, there must be moral reorientation, youth empowerment, and active community participation to reclaim the region from the grip of cult violence.
The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has appealed to residents of Abia State and other road users along the Aba–Azumini highway to protect the newly completed road from activities that could damage it.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
FERMA’s South-East 2 Zonal Director, Suleiman Mohammed Omonowo, issued the warning during an inspection of the project, cautioning against the burning of tyres during celebrations, which he said could damage the road surface.
He noted that destructive practices by some youths and community members often contribute to the early failure of road projects across the country.
“Our advice to road users, especially indigenes, is to protect the road from destruction. Let nobody come and destroy it or burn tyres in the name of celebration,” he said.
Omonowo said the Aba–Azumini highway was previously in a very bad condition before FERMA intervened, describing it as a death trap for commuters and residents.
He also expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done on the project, adding that drainage structures such as catch pits would help prevent flooding and extend the lifespan of the road.
According to him, the highway serves as a major link between Aba, several Abia communities, and Cross River State, carrying heavy traffic daily.
He urged local construction firms to improve on quality delivery to compete effectively with foreign contractors.
Meanwhile, the Federal Roads Maintenance Engineer in Abia State, Festus Okafor, said FERMA workers have not faced harassment or violence from residents during operations in the state.
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), Yobe State Command, has declared a 30-year-old inmate wanted after he escaped following a road accident involving a prison transport vehicle.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The incident reportedly occurred on April 13, 2026, while inmates were being conveyed from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Potiskum to Damaturu.
In a statement issued in Damaturu, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSC Abdullahi Adamu, said the vehicle conveying the inmates was involved in a crash during the journey.
He said the accident happened while efforts were ongoing to rescue those affected.
The escaped inmate was identified as Dahiru Mohammed, with prison number J/1539/24, who was admitted into custody on November 29, 2024.
The Correctional Service described him as dangerous and warned members of the public not to have any form of contact with him.
It urged residents to report any useful information that could lead to his re-arrest to the nearest security agency.
Authorities also cautioned that harbouring a fugitive is a criminal offence punishable under the law.
The Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, has ordered the University of Ibadan (UI) to reinstate three students suspended over their participation in a protest against tuition fee hikes.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Nkeonye Maha set aside the decision of the university’s Central Student Disciplinary Committee, ruling that the students were denied fair hearing during the disciplinary process.
The court held that the failure to allow the students call witnesses and present evidence violated their constitutional right to fair hearing, rendering the sanctions against them invalid.
The affected students — Aduwo Ayodele, Mide Gbadegesin, and Nice Linus — were suspended on July 14, 2025, after taking part in a protest against increased school fees approved by the university’s governing council.
Dissatisfied with the suspension, they approached the court, arguing that the disciplinary proceedings breached their fundamental rights and due process.
They asked the court to quash the suspension, reinstate their studentship, and award damages for alleged rights violations.
In her ruling, Justice Maha agreed with their arguments, stating that the university’s actions failed to meet the standards of natural justice.
Following the judgment, rights group CAPPA hailed the decision, urging the university to comply fully, reinstate the students, and issue an apology.
The group said the ruling reinforces constitutional protections for freedom of expression and serves as a warning against the suppression of student protests in tertiary institutions.
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