Lagos pushes for stiffer punishment for cultists, unlawful societies

Lagos State Government is set to deal decisively with members of unlawful societies and cultism with a new bill being considered by the State House of Assembly.

The bill entitled; “A Bill for a Law to Provide for the Prohibition of Unlawful Societies and Cultism in Lagos State and for Other Connected Purposes,” went through public hearing on Thursday 24th September, 2020 at the Assembly Pavilion.

The law states that any person who by any means of intimidation, harassment, blackmail or threat of violence, compels any person to join an unlawful society, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of fifteen (15) years.

The bill prohibits people from forming, organising or belonging to any cult society, and states that once the activities of the society is inimical to the peace of the society it is a secret society.

It however, added that any person who in order to compel a person to join an unlawful society, at or immediately after communicating to the person to join the unlawful society or any other person, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of twenty (21) years.

“Any student or member of any educational institution must not belong to any group or society that is not registered with the student affairs department of a university or any educational institution in the State,” the bill read.

It added that any association or society of students on campus or any other educational institution whose activities are inconsistent with the promotion of learning, social development and citizenship behaviour shall not be registered.

On Principal offenders, the bill states that any person who contravenes, aids or abets, protects, covers up or condones any other person who commits an offence under this law, or is an accessory before or after the fact of the contravention of any of the provisions of this law, commits an offence and will be regarded as a principal offender, who will be charged with doing the act or making the commission that the person that committed the offence made, and is liable on conviction to the same punishment that the person, who committed the offence is liable to.

On arrest, the bill states that a police officer or any other person may arrest without warrant any person who commits an offence against the law.

“A person arrested in accordance with subsection (1) of this section will as soon as practicable be arraigned before the Court having jurisdiction in the place where the offence was committed to be dealt with according to the provisions of the law,” it read.

Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman of the House of Assembly Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions and LASIEC, Hon. Victor Akande said that the Lagos parliament has institutionalized public participation on law making through public hearing.

“Public hearing is meant to assist the House to come up with better laws. The law is meant to criminalise cultism in our schools and guarantee peace in our societies,” he said.

In his keynote address the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Obasa, represented by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, said that the bills were important to the development of the state.