Author: oduduwanews

The Lagos House of Assembly has passed a bill into law banning the activities of cultists and illegal societies across the state.

The House passed the bill during a plenary session on Monday.

Lagos Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa
After its passage, the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, directed the Clerk, Olalekan Onafeko, to transmit the bill to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for assent.

The bill stipulates a 21-year jail term for anyone found guilty of engaging in the act and 15 years jail term for anyone convicted of abetting cultists or who allows his premises to be used by cultists as a meeting point.

The bill entitled ‘A Law to provide for the prohibition of unlawful societies and cultism in Lagos State and for other connected purposes’ says a society shall be regarded as unlawful if its members are engaged in illegal, destructive activities contrary to public policy, safety and peace of members of the public.

In Section 3, it read: “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 a term of 21 years imprisonment.

“The jail term also concerns anyone who attends such meetings or does any illegal act which may probably cause a breach of peace, disturbs public peace or conducts activities in such a manner as to pose a threat to life and property.

“Anyone who forms, organises or combines and agrees with anyone to form or organise 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 a term of 15 years imprisonment.

“The 15-year jail term further applies to anyone who intimidates or compels people to join a cult group.

“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.

“Any person who administers or is present at and consents to the administering of any unlawful oath that appears to bind the person who takes it to become a member of an unlawful society or cult under this law, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to seven years.”

It also stipulates 21 years for any member of a cult group who sets fire on anything or uses firearm or deadly objects, including acid and other chemicals, in any manner as to cause harm to anyone.

For students in the state, the law, which prohibits campus cultism, says “anyone of them who is convicted would face a jail term not exceeding two years.”

Cult clashes in Lagos have claimed many lives with many innocent persons caught up in the mayhem.

About 14 persons, including an easygoing motorcyclist identified simply as Pastor, were reportedly killed in a series of clashes between two rival cult groups–Eiye and Aye confraternities last month.

Areas like Ketu, Ikorodu Oworonshoki, Bariga, Somolu, Ajah Mushin are infamous for cult violence.

Speaking during the 2021 Ikorodu Town Hall Meeting On Security, Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, warned traditionalists in the area to stop fortifying cult members and criminals.

According to Odumosu, the security situation in Lagos has been commendable except in some areas, particularly in the Ikorodu axis where the situation has become worrisome due to a spike in cases of cultism, gangsterism, traffic robbery, ritual killings, amongst others.

He said 242 armed robbers and cultists were arrested in the local government within the last six months while 28 arms and 120 ammunition were recovered.

The police boss said 192 cultism cases and 18 murder cases were also recorded in the period under review while 25 robbery incidents were foiled.

He said, “The traditional institution in the division must be up and doing in condemning the activities of the bad boys (cultists), instead of supporting and celebrating them and their criminal acts.

“The traditionalists and traditional worshippers in this area must stop promoting and protecting the criminals in Ikorodu axis and Lagos State in general. The ideas of fortifying the bad boys and providing native charms for them are counterproductive to our security architecture in this area. Their powers must be used to assist us not to jeopardise our efforts.”

The Governor of the State of Osun, Adegboyega Oyetola, has assured of a hitch-free exercise of the recently flagged-off nationwide membership registration and revalidation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State.

He said the party was resolute to continue to maintain and sustain its leading role as the ruling party in the country.

This is even as the party commenced the Southwest membership registration and revalidation exercise with stakeholders’ meeting in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

The stakeholders’ meeting was convened at the instance of the leadership of the party and the collective resolve to intimate and equip the chieftains and members of the party with necessary information to ensure free, fair, smooth and crisis-free registration exercise.

Addressing the members of the party during the stakeholders’ meeting heralding the formal registration and revalidation of the party’s members in the State and the Southwest at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Osogbo, Oyetola called for decorum before, during and after the registration exercise.

The Governor assured of the party’s readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and hitch-free registration exercise as the government was determined to provide adequate security to achieve the set objectives.

He admonished the party’s members, particularly chieftains, to avoid taking crowd to the registration points, saying such act would contradict the Covid-19 safety protocols.

While enlightening members of the party on the importance of the registration exercise, Oyetola said the exercise was as important as the party itself.

“I am sure you are all aware of this exercise. Even before the beginning of this exercise, some were asking why we needed to go for another registration and revalidation. The answer was that some were very young at the last time a similar exercise was done.

“It is important for us to know who is who in APC and that is what we are doing. The exercise is simple. It is just for one to register if one has not done it before. For those who have registered, all they need to do is to revalidate their membership.

“I don’t envisage any problem. But I urge our people to be orderly and maintain decorum. Let’s portray the virtues of Omoluabi ethos that our state is known for. Osun is known for peace. Let’s display that before, during and after the whole exercise.

“Don’t allow those that are not residing in your polling units or wards to register. We all know ourselves and if you see any stranger, alert members of the registration committee for proper action.

“We are going to provide adequate security to ensure seamless exercise. Party members and leaders are enjoined not to take crowd to the registration points that could create unnecessary intimidation because the exercise is not a collective registration. Rather, it is an individual exercise.

“As we all know that one cannot be a member without being registered, so also the exercise is very sacrosanct as it helps to generate statistics of the membership strength of our party; and through this, every member will have a unique number,” he added.

Earlier, Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) Membership Registration and Revalidation Committee in Osun, Barrister Femi Odufowokan, enjoined the party loyalists to continue to display the good character which had earned the party accolades as peaceful political party in the country.

He reiterated the readiness of the committee to ensure free and credible registration exercise in the state, adding that Osun is going to be the contact point to other states in the southwest.

Odufowokan who said the party would continue to maintain and uphold the spirit of internal democracy, noted that the registration exercise would go a long way to strengthen the bond of unity and togetherness among the party’s loyalists.

He said the registration exercise for the southwest region would be flagged off in Ila-Orangun, the country home of the party’s pioneer Chairman, Chief Adebisi Akande, adding that the exercise would take two weeks upon the day of commencement.

Also speaking, Osun APC Caretaker Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun, urged members of the party to see the registration exercise as a family affair which must be cherished and treasured.

Speaker, Osun House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye, tasked the party chieftains on the need to ensure massive mobilisation for the registration exercise.

Those in attendance were: Osun Deputy Governor, Benedict Alabi; Speaker Osun House of Assembly, Hon. Timothy Owoeye; Osun APC Caretaker Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun; members of the State Executive Council; APC chieftains; members of the Osun APC registration and revalidation committee; party’s loyalists among others.

The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo SAN, on Tuesday, filed a notice of preliminary objection and counter affidavit in a Fundamental Human Rights’ application by a certain individual named Olukoya Ogungbeje before the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, seeking to challenge the Executive Order of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, restricting the use of motorcycles and tricycles in six Local Governments and nine Local Council Development Areas.

Onigbanjo (SAN), representing the State Government before the Court, argued that the Executive Order restricting the use of Motorcycles and Tricycles is in accordance with the Law, noting that the Government has also filed a written address in opposition to the originating summons of the applicant.

The Commissioner implored the Court to dismiss the originating summons, saying that the restriction of Motorcycles and Tricycles on major roads in the State is in line with the provisions of the Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018.

The Presiding Judge, Hon. Justice Liman, however, reserved judgment till tomorrow, 3rd of February, 2021.

Earlier today, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola flagged off the distribution of multi-million naira worth of educational materials, sports equipment and other materials to schools in the State.

The initiative is in continuation of the present Administration’s intervention in the Education sector through the State Universal Basic Education Board and is aimed at building the capacity of the young ones.

Governor Oyetola enjoined school managers to ensure judicious use of the various materials distributed to their schools for the sustained benefits of the pupils.

ODUDUWA NEWS has just gathered that AIG Zanna Muhammed Ibrahim has emerged new Acting Inspector General of Police. Details later

President Muhammad Buhari have approved the establishment of a federal Polytechnic in Oyo state.

The polytechnic which is to be situated in Ayede town, Ogbomo,  is said to gotten a nod from the president and a memo has been sent to Oyo state governor to that effect.

This was detailed in a signed letter by the Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary, Arc. Sonny Echono, and which was addressed to the Governor of the State, Engr. Seyi Makinde.

Ogun state government has cleared air on the purported invitation of the socio-ethnic right activist, Sunday Adeyemo Igboho and his subsequent visit to the state on monday 1 february, Saying they state never contracted the activist to  help fight the battle with fulani herdsmen in the state.

Sunday Igboho, who had earlier launched an attack on fulani herdsmen in Ibarapa axis of oyo state, had vowed to see Fulanis out of the entire yoruba land, saying they’ve caused enough atrocities and the yorubas can no longer accommodate them.

Sunday Igboho on his arrival to Ogun state on monday appreciated the state government for allowing him to help the people of ogun state in chasing the herdsmen from.every nooks and cronies of the state.

However, in a statement signed by the state commissioner for information and strategy, Hon. Waheed Odusile, said a news report relied upon to the effect that Igboho was invited to fight crimes in the state was quoted out of context as such misleading and regrettable.

A Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Communication, Remmy Hazzan, had been quoted that Igboho would be welcomed in Ogun State as part of stakeholders fighting crimes and criminality in the State.

“In the interview, Hon Hazzan had said that the state government, in its usual inclusive approach to governance, would continue to work with all the stakeholders, both within and outside the state, to ensure security of lives and properties.
“Sadly, however, this statement was disingeniously twisted to mean that the State had invited Mr. Adeyemo to help curb insecurity. This is regrettable and totally misleading.”

Igboho, while speaking with journalists upon his arrival in the State had thanked the Governor for allowing him to come to the State and chase away the killer herdsmen from the State.

ODUDUWA NEWS has just gathered that the popular Yoruba socialite and self-acclaimed Oduduwa Republic agitator, Chief Sunday Igboho has stormed Yewa North of Ogun State to battle suspected killer herdsmen. Details later.

The Ibarapa security engagement which started yesterday continued today as more stakeholders from Ibarapa Central and North local governments, including traditional rulers, Student representatives and youths were present at today’s gathering.

The Oyo State Government led by Governor Seyi Makinde handed over additional vehicles to the Amotekun corps in Ibarapa zone to enhance proactive response.

Makinde while speaking to the traditional rulers advised them to be security conscious and to support his administration to rid entire Oyo State of criminal elements.

He however vowed that he will not relent in his efforts at ensuring peaceful coexistence in Ibarapa environs and entire Oyo State.

In its bid to unseat the current governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, the All Progressives Congress APC, Oyo State Chapter holds stakeholders meeting today at its newly commissioned party Secretariat located at Oke-Ado, Ibadan, Oyo State. Below are the pictures of political gladiators gathered at the stakeholders’ meeting. The details of the outcome of the meeting shall be updated later.