Edo State Cracks Down on Secret Cults with New, Tougher Law
Benin City, Edo State – The Edo State Government has announced a significant crackdown on secret cult activities with the passage of a new law carrying significantly stiffer penalties. The Edo State House of Assembly repealed the 2018 Secret Cult (Prohibition) Law and replaced it with the Secret Cult and Similar Activities (Prohibition) Law, 2025, effective January 24th, 2025. The new legislation, signed into law by Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo, introduces harsher punishments for those involved in cult-related offences.
According to a statement released by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor, Esq., the new law includes:
Twenty-one (21) years imprisonment** for individuals providing financial or material support to secret cults (Section 5).
Ten (10) years imprisonment and property confiscation/demolition, for those knowingly harboring cult members or allowing cult meetings on their property (Section 6).
Twenty-one (21) years imprisonment without the option of a fine, or the death penalty in cases of fatality, plus property confiscation and demolitio, for cultists who assault, injure, maim, kill, or destroy property in the furtherance of cult activities (Section 12).
The government emphasized its commitment to maintaining peace and security within the state and urged citizens to abide by the new law. The statement serves as a stern warning to those involved in or supporting secret cult activities, highlighting the severe consequences they now face under the revised legislation. The government's action underscores its determination to eradicate secret cult violence and foster a more peaceful and secure environment for all Edo State residents.