The Lagos State House of Assembly has passed into law a bill banning the activities of cultists and other related illegal societies across the state.
The new law, which stipulates 21 years imprisonment for anyone found guilty of engaging in cult activities, also stipulates 15 years jail term for anyone convicted of abetting cultists or allowing his/her premises to be used as a meeting point by cultists.
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According to the bill titled ‘A law to provide for the prohibition of unlawful societies and cultism in Lagos State and for other connected purposes’, a society shall be regarded as unlawful if its members carry out illegal, destructive activities contrary to public policy, safety and peace of members of the public.
Section 3 of the law says ‘Any person who is a member of an unlawful society or cult, identifies as a member or solicits for members of an unlawful society or cult, attends a meeting of an unlawful society or cult whether as a member or an intending member of the unlawful society or cult, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to 21 years jail term.’
Also, the law states that the jail term concerns anyone who attends such meetings or does any illegal act which may probably cause a breach of peace, disturb public peace or conduct activities in a manner that it poses a threat to life and property.
The law further stated that ‘Anyone who forms, organizes or combines and agrees with anyone to form or organize an unlawful society or cult, manages and assists in the management of an unlawful society or cult or knowingly allows a meeting of members of an unlawful society or cult to be held in any property under his control commits an offence and is liable on conviction to 15 years jail term.
The 15-year jail term further applies to anyone who intimidates or compels people to join a cult group while any person who injures or uses violence on a person to compel the person to join an unlawful society or cult, commits an offence and liable on conviction to a term of 21 years imprisonment according to the law.
As for students in Lagos State, the law prohibits campus cultism, as anyone who is convicted would face a jail term not exceeding two years.
After the passage of the law, the Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, directed the clerk, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko, to transmit the law to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for assent.
