Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, last month signed a new law that's been described as one of the toughest on cultism anywhere in Nigeria.
The Unlawful Societies and Cultism (Prohibition) Law replaced the Cultism (Prohibition) Law of 2015 when it was signed by the governor on March 15, 2021.
The new anti-cultism law prescribes very punitive measures for cultists, as well as their willing (and even unwilling) collaborators.
There are a few important things to know about this law:
Definition
The law defines cultism as open or secret acts perpetrated by a person or group with objects that endanger the safety of life, property, public peace, and law and order in learning institutions and communities in Lagos.
Who's affected?
Unlike previous legislation, the new law is applicable to the general public, and not just restricted to targeting students of tertiary institutions.
21 years for convicted cultists
Anyone who identifies as a member of a cult group, and/or commits illegal acts, or found in custody of property of a cult group, or wears a cult group's insignia will, on conviction, be sentenced to 21 years in prison.
Anyone who injures or uses violence, with or without an offensive weapon, to compel someone else to join a cult group is also liable to be sentenced to prison for 21 years.
Or...life imprisonment
Anyone whose action is responsible for the death of someone else in the course of compelling that person to join a cult group is liable to be sentenced to life imprisonment.
Any member of a cult group whose action leads to someone's death is also liable to be sentenced to life imprisonment.
15 years in prison for willing collaborators
Anyone who, without necessarily being a member of a cult group, knowingly aids cultism is liable to be imprisoned for 15 years.
Collaboration includes allowing cult group meetings on one's property; agreeing to form a cult group; assisting in the management of a cult group; and attempting to compel someone else to join a cult group.
Or...7 years
Anyone who is present or willfully administers an unlawful oath for someone else to join a cult group is liable to be imprisoned for seven years.
Campus cultism
Students of educational institutions are prohibited from being members of unregistered or unlawful groups, a misdemeanor that carries a maximum term of two years in prison.
Students can be suspended pending investigations into their possible cult activities; and will have their names published in a widely-circulated newspaper if they are eventually found culpable and expelled.
Period of grace to report to Police
Anyone who is forced to take an unlawful oath to join a cult group can be forgiven by the law if they report to the police within 14 days.
Collaborators as principal offenders
Anyone who aids and abets a cultist, or is an accessory before or after the fact, is considered a principal offender and will be charged with the same crime committed by the cultist, and serve the same punishment.
Sin of one is the sin of all
Any member of a cult group will be deemed a principal offender and charged with the crime committed by any other member of the group whether or not that person was even present at the scene of the crime, as long as the crime was done in furtherance of the cult group's objectives.
Punishment for failure to report cultists
Any person, parent or guardian that is aware of a person's or ward's involvement in an unlawful society or cultism and who fails to report to the police, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to two years imprisonment, or a fine of N500,000.
When he signed the law last month, Governor Sanwo-Olu said he wants it to make parents more responsible and show more interest in the upbringing of their children and wards to ensure that they do not become a burden to the society.
Lawmakers also argued that parents need to take proper care of their children by ensuring their compliance with societal norms and values.
But lawyers and human rights organisations have expressed concern with this section of the law, as it creates room for law enforcement officers to unduly target innocent people that have connections to suspected cultists.