The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Lagos has launched a campaign to warn pupils against joining cult groups and engaging in bullying, saying these vices threaten school safety and derail academic progress.
Officers from the NSCDC visited schools across the state to speak directly with students about the dangers of cultism, peer pressure, and violence in educational settings. The corps said the visits were part of a broader effort to create secure learning environments where children can focus on their studies without fear.
The NSCDC highlighted how cultism destroys lives and families. Young people who join these groups often end up in violent confrontations, drop out of school, or face criminal charges that follow them into adulthood. The corps warned that cult initiations involve rituals designed to break down a person's sense of right and wrong, making members willing to harm others on command.
Bullying, the NSCDC said, leaves deep psychological scars on victims. Students who are bullied struggle with anxiety, depression, and poor academic performance. Some withdraw from school entirely. The corps urged pupils to report bullying incidents to teachers, school authorities, or the NSCDC itself rather than suffer in silence or retaliate with violence.
The security agency also addressed the role of social media in spreading bullying. Insulting peers online, sharing embarrassing photos or videos without consent, and spreading rumours through messaging apps constitute cyberbullying, which is just as damaging as face-to-face harassment. The NSCDC told students that such behaviour can result in police action under the Cybercrime Act.
The corps encouraged pupils to speak up when they see friends being pressured to join cults or when they witness bullying. Staying silent makes the victim feel abandoned and allows bullies and recruiters to continue unchecked. Schools and parents must create spaces where children feel safe reporting these issues without fear of being punished or judged.
The NSCDC said it will continue school visits across Lagos to reinforce these messages and build trust between the security agency and young people. The corps also appealed to parents to monitor their children's behaviour and friendships, and to watch for signs that a child has joined a cult group, such as sudden changes in dress, new tattoos or marks, secrecy about their activities, or unexplained injuries.
