Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has officially signed the Secret Cult Prohibition Bill into law, imposing strict penalties, including a 21-year jail term for cultists and their sponsors.
In a statement, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Umar Ikhilor, announced that the previous law had been repealed to introduce tougher measures against cult-related activities. He urged residents to avoid any involvement in secret cults to ensure the peace, growth, and development of the state.
“The Edo State Secret Cult (Prohibition Law) 2018 has been repealed and replaced with the Secret Cult and Similar Activities (Prohibition) Law, 2025,” Ikhilor stated. “The new law, effective from January 24, 2025, provides for stricter penalties, including a 21-year jail term for financial and material sponsors of secret cults under Section 5.”
Additionally, Section 6 of the law prescribes a 10-year imprisonment for individuals who knowingly shelter cult members or allow secret cult meetings to take place on their property. Such properties will be confiscated and demolished by the state government.
The law also includes harsher punishments for violent cult-related crimes. Under Section 12, any cultist found guilty of assault, injury, or property destruction in furtherance of cult activities faces 21 years in prison without the option of a fine. In cases resulting in fatalities, perpetrators will be sentenced to death, and their properties will be seized and demolished.
Edo State has been plagued by violent cult clashes, particularly among youths, leading to loss of lives and destruction of valuable properties. This new legislation aims to curb the menace and restore peace across the state.