Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has transmitted an executive bill to the State House of Assembly aimed at regulating the activities of native doctors, herbalists, and related practitioners across the state.
The proposed legislation, titled ‘Maintenance of Internal Security, Vigilance, and Order’, seeks to outlaw money rituals, criminal bulletproof charms, and the unlawful use or occupation of forests and properties for criminal activities.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the media office of the governor, the bill also mandates private security outfits to register with the state government and provide particulars of armed security operatives.
The bill also mandates private security outfits to register with the state government and provide details of all armed personnel. Additionally, presidents-general of town unions are required to submit regular security reports to local government chairmen.
Landlords and proprietors of hotels and guest houses must obtain and submit valid identification details, phone numbers, occupations, and places of work of tenants and guests to the relevant authorities.
The bill prescribes penalties for violations, including fines and imprisonment.
Specifically, Section 3(1) of the proposed bill states: ‘Every person who engages in the practice or rendering of spiritual services within the state, whether as a native doctor, herbalist, spiritualist, chief priest, diviner, seer, or by any other traditional or spiritual title or designation, shall be registered with the ministry, department, or agency (MDA) of the state as may be designated by the Governor for that purpose’.
Practising without registration attracts a fine of not less than ₦1 million and not more than ₦5 million, or imprisonment for up to two years, or both.
Section 15 provides that: ‘Any person who, under the guise of spiritual or traditional practice—including, but not limited to, practices commonly referred to as okite, ezenwanyi, or any other mystical or ritual name or form—administers or causes to be administered any charm, substance, or object on or for another person for the purpose of: (a) achieving invincibility or other forms of protection to facilitate the commission of any criminal offence; or (b) acquiring wealth or benefits through supernatural means outside any lawful source of livelihood, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of six (6) years or to a fine of not less than ₦5 million, or both’.
The bill further states that anyone who falsely claims to possess supernatural powers or misleads the public for personal gain or influence commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for three years or a fine of not less than ₦3 million, or both.
It also provides that anyone claiming spiritual powers must provide reasonable proof of such abilities during investigation.
In a similar vein, Section 16 prescribes six years’ imprisonment or a fine of ₦5 million, or both, for anyone who uses or knowingly permits the use of any religious facility for the commission or facilitation of a crime. Such facilities will be sealed pending the outcome of investigations.
Section 17 states: ‘Any person who performs, facilitates, demands, directs, or participates in any ritual or traditional practice involving the use of human parts—or causes another person to do so—commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of twenty (20) years without the option of a fine’.
Under Section 13, ‘Any person found in a camp, bush, or forest within Enugu State without any reasonable or lawful cause, and under circumstances giving rise to suspicion of involvement in criminal activity, shall be handed over to the Nigeria Police Force or any competent security agency for proper investigation’.
Regarding the use of forests and property for criminal purposes, the bill proposes: ‘Any person who owns, occupies, or has control over any land or building—whether located in a forest or elsewhere—and knowingly allows it to be used as a camp, hideout, or base for kidnapping, unlawful detention, ransom collection, or any activity connected to banditry, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to twenty (20) years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine’.
Furthermore, any person who knowingly allows non-security personnel to reside, camp, or establish a settlement on their land—except for farming—shall face two years’ imprisonment without an option of a fine.
Failure to report suspicious use of one’s property to security agencies is also punishable by a two-year prison term without an option of a fine.
According to the bill, ‘Subject to Section 3 of the Criminal Code (Second Amendment) Law 2016, any land, property, or structure used in contravention of Sections 7, 8, 9, and 10 of this law shall be forfeited to the Government of Enugu State’.
Additionally, any money, property, or proceeds of crimes such as theft, robbery, or kidnapping will be forfeited to the state unless a lawful owner comes forward within a reasonable time.
The bill also mandates private security firms to register with the State Government and provide full details of the company and all armed operatives. Town union presidents-general are required to submit monthly security reports to local government chairmen or other designated departments.
Landlords, hotel and guest house operators, and estate associations are mandated to collect and transmit valid identification and contact information of tenants and guests to relevant authorities.
All hospitality establishments are also required to install surveillance cameras in public areas and submit recordings to the appropriate agencies upon request.
Penalties for non-compliance range from fines of not less than ₦500,000 for landlords to ₦1 million for proprietors.
