Hotels To Provide Details Of Guests To Authorities As Edo Govt Enact Anti-Cultism Law
The Edo State Government, under the leadership of Governor Monday Okpebholo, has enacted a new law aimed at dismantling secret cults and their networks across the state.
The development was confirmed in a communique issued on Wednesday, May 7, by the Chief Press Secretary to the Edo State Governor, Fred Itua.
The Secret Cult and Similar Activities (Prohibition) Law, 2025, which took effect on January 24, 2025, signifies a significant legislative advancement in the battle against criminal fraternities.
This law supersedes the previous 2018 legislation and introduces more severe penalties, expanded definitions, and accountability measures intended to eradicate cultism not only from higher education institutions but also from communities, traditional structures, public offices, and the hospitality sector.
Under this new statute, all cult groups—regardless of whether they are known, emerging, or operating under aliases—are entirely prohibited. The law acknowledges that cults frequently alter their names and strategies, thus providing a broad definition of cultism to encompass any group that functions in secrecy or advocates violence.
The penalty for membership in such a group, whether armed or unarmed, is life imprisonment or a minimum of twenty-one years in prison. However, the enforcement extends beyond mere membership.
The law also criminalises any form of sponsorship or support. Individuals who finance, provide shelter for, or assist cult groups in any capacity face the same penalties as active members.
This includes traditional leaders, school administrators, civil servants, and even security personnel who facilitate or support cult activities. Offenders not only risk incarceration but also face dismissal or dethronement, underscoring that no status will exempt anyone from the law’s consequences.
The private sector is also implicated. Property owners who permit cult meetings on their premises, whether knowingly or unknowingly, face a minimum of ten years in prison and potential demolition of their property. Hotels, bars, and nightclubs are now subject to stricter regulatory oversight.
According to the law, establishments that allow cult-related meetings or violent gatherings face up to twenty years in prison and the risk of forfeiture or demolition of their premises.
In an effort to enhance oversight, the legislation now requires all hospitality establishments to register with the Ministry of Commerce and Tourism within a three-month grace period.
Non-compliance will incur monthly penalties starting at ₦100,000, escalating to ₦1 million every six months, with potential closure orders for those who remain unregistered for over a year.
