The Rector of  Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, Alhaji Mas’ud Elelu, says the institution has succeeded in tackling cultism with the deployment of 182 security personnel.

Elelu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  in Ilorin on Tuesday that cultism was a serious challenge to the polytechnic community and its environs.

He said  those who were in charge of security in the school then were not well trained and could not tackle the scourge.

Elelu, who is also the Chairman of  Commonwealth Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in Africa, said many students engage in cultism because of the absence of a cordial relationship between students and lecturers.

‘‘Today, we have soldiers while personnel of the Department of State Services, policemen, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps among others are being used to tackle cultism in the institution,’’ he said.

Elelu also said that the institution was also availing itself with the services of  groups such as  Boys Scouts and Man’ o War to sensitise students on the ills of cultism.

He further that the school’s authorities had banned the use of motorcycles by students on campus so that cult members would find it difficult to escape after perpetrating their nefarious acts.

The rector said that there were ongoing projects in the school premises in order to further improve the academic standard of the institution.

He appealed to students of higher institutions across the country to shun cultism and face their studies so they would become useful to the nation. (NAN)