Bayelsa State, Governor Seriake Dickson has signed the Secret (Cult), Societies and Similar Activities Prohibition Amendment Law 2018 as part of the policies to stem cult activities in the state.
The new law makes it mandatory for offenders to be jailed upon conviction for not less than 20 years, without any option of fine.
Appending his signature on the amended law in Government House on Monday, Dickson noted with serious concern the rise in cult and other related activities in the state, especially in Yenagoa and its environs.
He said that with the amendment, the law enforcement agencies have been empowered to deal decisively with suspected cult members and their sponsors.
He explained that the amendment to the law, which had existed since May, 2012, was necessitated by the urgent need to check the rise in cult activities among youths.
He said the amendment was necessary to give the law enforcement agencies more powers to proactively protect lives and property as well as safeguard the future of the state.
Dickson said, “As a government, we cannot allow this ugly trend of events to continue unabated.
“A situation where children below 15, 16, 17 and a majority of our youth population are members of one dangerous cult group or society, where they carry guns and other dangerous weapons and shoot, maim, kill and create insecurity in parts of the state is totally unacceptable.
“As a responsible government, we must put an end to this and it has to be now.’’
Responding, the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Don Awunah, said the new law put the state on the front line in the fight against cultism and cult-related activities in the country.
With the amendments, Awunah said, the Police now have the comprehensive powers to confront crime and criminality head-on, stressing that most crimes in the state are cult-related.
No comments:
Post a Comment