The Ogun State House of Assembly on Tuesday passed into law a bill proposing 25 years imprisonment for anyone found guilty of fraudulent conduct and forceful takeover of landed property in the state.
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.
“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grabbers to unleash terror on the people shall be placed on 10 years suspension or have his chieftaincy certificate withdrawn.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.
“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,” he said.
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.
“That of conviction for armed robbery attracts death sentence,” he said.
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.
