Ogun to jail land grabbers for 25 years
It also made unlawful the placing on any
land of an agent for the purpose of forceful takeover using offensive
weapons or causing injury on any person.
The Majority Leader of the assembly, Mr.
Adeyinka Mafe, moved the motion for the third reading of the bill which
was seconded by Mr. Adebowale Ojuri.
The bill had sought to prohibit forcible
entry and occupation of landed properties, violent and fraudulent
conduct in relation to landed properties, armed robbery, kidnapping,
cultism and allied matters.
The Deputy Speaker, Mr. Olakunle Oluomo,
read the report of the Joint Committees on Land, Housing and Ethics and
Public Petitions to the whole house during plenary.
He said that the bill also spelt out N5
million fine or 10 years imprisonment or both for anyone found guilty of
placing on any land or landed property any agent for the purpose of
forceful takeover of the said land.
He said, “Any traditional ruler found
guilty of aiding the activities of land grabbers to unleash terror on
the people shall be placed on 10 years suspension or have his
chieftaincy certificate withdrawn.
“Any official of government, either in
service or retired, found to have connived or aided unlawful sale of
government acquisition property shall have his appointment terminated
and five years imprisonment.
“No family shall have the right to demand for gratification or disturb the peace of a lawful occupant.
“Anyone found guilty shall be liable to N200, 000 fine or three years imprisonment, “he said.
On kidnapping, Oluomo said that where
the person kidnapped, detained or seized die in the course, the
offenders shall be liable on conviction to such punishment as provided
for the offence of murder in the Criminal Code Law of the state.
He said, “Where the person does not die
in the course, the offender shall be liable on conviction to punishment
for life with hard labour and without an option of fine.”
The bill also spelt out punishment for
robbery, saying anybody who committed the offence shall upon trial and
conviction under the law be liable to a sentence not less than 21 years.
He said, “That of conviction for armed robbery attracts death sentence.”
The Speaker of the assembly, Mr. Suraj
Adekunbi, in his remarks, directed that a clean copy of the bill be
forwarded to Governor Ibikunle Amosun for his assent.
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