In a major legislative push to bolster public safety and safeguard economic growth, the Ogun State Executive Council has approved four key anti-crime bills targeting cultism, ritual murders, extortion, and missing persons.
The approval, granted at Thursday’s Council meeting, reflects the Dapo Abiodun administration’s strategy to use tough legal mechanisms to neutralize violent threats and maintain Ogun’s status as a top investment hub.
The legislative package—which includes the GLOVES (Group Liability for Offences of Violence, Extortion and Secret Societies) Bill, Victims’ Rights Bill, Human Sacrifice Prohibition Bill, and Missing Persons Bill—is set to be transmitted to the House of Assembly.
In a statement emailed to Persecondnews on Friday, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Oluwasina Ogungbade (SAN), said the bills provide a firm legal foundation to confront both current and emerging security challenges head-on.
According to him, the GLOVES Bill is aimed at dismantling criminal organisations by making every member of an unlawful or proscribed group jointly liable for crimes committed by fellow members in furtherance of the group’s objectives.
The proposed legislation seeks to ensure that members of violent gangs, cult groups and similar criminal organisations cannot evade responsibility by distancing themselves from offences carried out by their associates.
Ogungbade explained that the Victims’ Rights Bill will establish, for the first time in Ogun State, a structured legal framework for the protection and support of victims of crime throughout the criminal justice process.
Beyond compensation and restitution, the bill guarantees attention to victims’ welfare during investigations, bail proceedings, prosecution, incarceration of offenders and even where suspects are not ultimately charged.
It also provides for the establishment of a statutory office dedicated to protecting victims’ interests and coordinating advocacy on their behalf.
On the Human Sacrifice Prevention and Prohibition Bill, the Attorney-General noted that the legislation specifically confronts the menace of ritual killings and human sacrifice by recognising them as distinct criminal offences requiring specialised legal treatment.
He said the existing criminal laws were not designed with ritual-related crimes in mind and therefore leave significant gaps in prosecution and punishment.
The proposed law introduces modern legal mechanisms to effectively combat the entire chain of activities associated with ritual killings.
The Missing Persons Bill, he added, is intended to strengthen investigations into missing persons cases by creating a clear statutory framework to guide law enforcement agencies.
The bill is expected to remove legal bottlenecks that often delay investigations, particularly in accessing financial records, personal information and other materials critical to locating missing persons or identifying those responsible for their disappearance.
Ogungbade said the legislative package aligns with Governor Dapo Abiodun’s commitment to ensuring that Ogun State remains peaceful, secure and conducive to economic growth.
He observed that as the state continues to attract significant domestic and foreign investments, strengthening the legal framework for public safety has become imperative to protecting lives, property and businesses while sustaining investor confidence.
The Attorney-General disclosed that the four bills would be forwarded to the Ogun State House of Assembly in the coming days for legislative consideration and passage.
Author
Leave a comment