Sanwo-Olu signs bill prescribing 21-year jail term for cultists

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos state, has signed the unlawful societies, cultism (prohibition) bill 2020 into law. 

Sanwo-Olu signed the bill at the Lagos government house, Alausa, Ikeja, on Monday.

The new law stipulates a 21-year jail term for anyone found guilty of engaging in cultism-related activities.

It also stipulates a 15-year jail term for anyone found guilty of abetting cultists or who allows his/her premises to be used by cultists as a meeting place.

The state house of assembly passed the bill in February.

Mudashiru Obasa, the speaker, had said the house included punishment for parents of cultists found guilty of cultism in the bill.

Obasa had said the punishment was to further prohibit unlawful societies and cultism, including “other connected purposes in the state”.

“Parents of cultists found guilty of cultism in the state might be liable for punishment,” Obasa had said.

The anti-cultism law repeals the cultism (prohibition) law of 2007 and provides for more stringent punitive measures.

Sanwo-Olu also signed three other bills into law.

The bills include Lagos state audit service commission (amendment) law of 2019, Lagos state public procurement bill of 2021 and the coronavirus pandemic emergency law 2021.