School Administration and Prevention of Cultism in Tertiary Institutions in Ogun State

This study investigates the role of school administration in the prevention and management of cultism in tertiary institutions in Ogun State, South West Nigeria. Campus cultism remains a persistent security challenge in Nigerian higher education, causing violence, disrupting academic activities, and threatening the safety of students and staff. Administrative responses to cultism, including early detection, disciplinary enforcement, and preventive programming, vary widely across institutions in Ogun State. The study adopts a descriptive survey design and samples 350 students, lecturers, student welfare officers, and security personnel from three tertiary institutions in Ogun State. Data are collected through questionnaires and focus group discussions, and analysed with descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. The study is anchored on the Social Disorganisation Theory of crime prevention. Findings reveal that institutions with proactive administrative strategies, including orientation programmes, anonymous reporting channels, and robust disciplinary tribunals, record lower incidents of cult-related violence. Poverty, peer pressure, and administrative laxity are identified as the primary enabling factors for cultism. The study recommends the strengthening of institutional security architecture, investment in student welfare services, and the adoption of restorative justice approaches to cult-related discipline in Ogun State tertiary institutions. Keywords: cultism, campus security, school administration, student welfare, Ogun State.