Dapo Abiodun, Ogun State governor, has said the state will soon enact a law that will prescribe death penalty for anyone caught engaging in cult activities in the state and environs.
This comes in the wake of the killing of over 20 people in cult clashes in Sagamu area of the state at the weekend.
Gov. Abiodun made this known at a meeting with the Paramount Ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, at the Akarigbo Palace in Sagamu.
Abiodun expressed shock over the wanton destruction of lives and peace of Sagamu and its environs.
He warned that the government would not fold its arms and watch unscrupulous persons run riots in any part of the state .
The governor sympathised with the good and law-abiding citizens of Sagamu and the referred paramount ruler and all those who had lost loved ones.
“We will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that we bring any person directly, indirectly or remotely responsible for these occurrences to book," he said.
"I have discussed with the Attorney General perhaps it is our disposition that allows for these occurrences of heinous crimes.
“It is within my powers as the governor of this state to pronounce the death penalty on people and we are going to ensure that we enact that because when people appreciate and understand the consequences of their behaviours, perhaps they will begin to have a rethink,” he said.
Abiodun noted that he had called on the Commissioner of Police, the Director of the State Security Service (DSS), the Commander of the Civil Defence, AMOTEKUN Commander to relocate to Sagamu for this purpose.
“We will rely on our traditional rulers because they are the closest to the grassroots, for all the intelligence support because these people are not spirits. They live within us, they are tenants in our houses.
“The last time I came here, I said any house where we arrest anybody connected to either cultism or kidnapping, we will demolish.
“I am now pronouncing that we will no longer refer to these people as cultists or any other name. We are pronouncing them as murderers and we will mete out punishments that are deserving to murderers,” he warned.
He said his government was committed to the development and prosperity of the state, and no one would be allowed to draw the state backwards.
Oba Ajayi decried the incessant destruction of lives and properties in the town, saying the needed development would not come to the town when people continue to cause havoc through criminal activities.
He requested for mobile police and military formations in the area for proper maintenance of law and order.
Leave a Reply