‘Implement Laws Against Cultism On Campuses’

Director, Centre for Environment and Science Education, Lagos State University, Ojo, Prof. Ademola Onifade, penultimate Thursday advised the Federal Government to fully implement laws against cultism in tertiary institutions.

Onifade told the News Agency of Nigeria in an interview in Lagos that there were enough legislation against the menace in the country but the laws had not been fully implemented.

 He called on government to complement efforts by the university authorities stamp out the menace through speedy prosecution of offenders.

The lecturer said, “The major problem with cultism is that government is not coming out the way it should come out.

“It is very difficult for universities to arraign students against cultism because they will always find their way out.

“We take them to the police station the following day they are out and you will start wondering, asking questions, what happened, what happened.

“And this has been discouraging the universities with respect to cultism.’’

He said  a lot was being done by the tertiary institutions to curb the menace but noted that such efforts could be strengthened with government’s commitment toward its eradication.

Onifade, however, said many of the students arrested on campuses in connection with alleged cultism had either been suspended or expelled.

He said, “We have enough regulations with respect to cultism in this country; it’s just that the government is hesitating to wield the big stick.

“I am aware that if you are caught, you will go to 21 years imprisonment.

“We have enough regulations but they are not being implemented. So it is left to the government to wield the big stick and that is what some of us are waiting on.

“Universities are doing a lot to curb cultism on campuses; a lot of money is being invested.

“I can take my university for example, Lagos State University, we have a campus marshal, like campus police.

 “Do you know how much LASU is spending on this? it’s a lot of money.’’