Ekiti Mulls Anti-Cult Law To End Killings
Piqued by the recent killing of two Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado Ekiti students, the Ekiti State government is set to enact a law against cult activities in the state to stop unwarranted loss of lives.
The bill, when passed into Law, would hand out the death penalty to anyone found guilty of involvement in cultism and life imprisonment to anyone harbouring or associating with cultists.
Governor Ayodele Fayose, who made the disclosure during an interactive session with the members of the state’s chapter of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), also announced a reward of N1 million for anyone who offers incontrovertible evidence on any student cultist.
The meeting, held at the government office, Ado-Ekiti, was convened by the governor to discuss with the umbrella body of all farmers in the state, how to develop agriculture.
Speaking about the recent killings at the state university, governor Fayose said: “It saddened me that students are being killed in the name of cultism. We are sponsoring a bill in the State House of Assembly; anyone caught associating with cultists will face life imprisonment, anyone confirmed to be a cultist will be punished with death sentence.
“If you are caught involved in cultism, we will give you death sentence, we will treat you as kidnappers. If you accommodate a cult member in your house, you will get life imprisonment. This fight will not be selected, whether you are PDP or APC, you will be made to face the sentence,” he said.
While assuring the farmers that his government was ready to support them in their quest to improve productivity, the governor charged his deputy and the state commissioner for Agriculture, Kehinde Odebunmi to urgently work out the modalities of getting the agricultural loans available from relevant banks for the farmers in the state.
In his remarks, Mr. Ademola Okeya, who is State chairman of the union, said: “Fayose was the first governor to recognise and support farmers during his first term in 2005 and 2006. We have all now come together under one umbrella, our request include for government to help us complete our Farmers House, give us a bus for movement, especially support for our members’ representation for 40 people in Abuja meeting which is forthcoming. We also want to assure the governor that we are part of his continuity programme, we also want loan scheme as from early next year for the planting seasons, as well as equipment and hybrid seedlings for farming for our members.”
Advising the farmers to continue to be united, deputy governor Olusola Kolapo said it is unity that would make all of them enjoy the benefits from government.
“The state government recently gave revolving loan of N10m for procuring cocoa chemicals. Some of you didn’t get it because you were not united. Now that you have now united as AFAN, you will all benefit from what the government will give.
“We need farm settlements, which would enable farmers to do their work properly. Moving agriculture project forward would not be by fire brigade approach. It needs proper planning and agriculture business is thriving in the north because land clearing over there is much easier and very much cheaper compared to what obtains here.”