Street Cultism, Youth Violence, and Security in Lagos, 1999–2021

This chapter examines the street cultism phenomenon in Lagos State, Nigeria, through the lens of historical scholarship. It explores the emergence, modes of operation, and manifestations of two major street cultist groups (i.e., the “Awawa Boys” and the “One Million Boys”) as forms of organized criminality in selected areas of the State. It also establishes the nexus between street cultism and the persistent youth violence in various parts of Lagos. In addition, the work examines the specific factors that promote street cultism in Lagos State and the socioeconomic consequences. Extant literatures on organized crimes and urbanization (particularly among the youths) in contemporary Lagos State have explored some themes such as areas boys, agbero (i.e., informal park managers), male juvenile delinquents, and urban violence, among others. This chapter argues that street cultism has become a notorious form of youth criminality in contemporary times with grave impact on the socioeconomic existence of Lagos State. The study finds out that street cultism negatively impacted the socioeconomic fabrics of Lagos State. It suggested that the government and the public must always collaborate to prevent the resurgence of the phenomenon in the State.