Osun proposes 20-year jail term for land-grabbers

The Osun State House of Assembly has passed four bills into law, including one prohibiting activities of land-grabbers in the state.

Titled ‘Osun State Forceful Entry and Illegal Occupation of Landed Properties (Prohibition) Bill, 2019’, the bill provides that whoever contravenes the law when operational, will be liable to 20 years imprisonment without an option of fine.

A statement by the Chairman, Assembly Committee on Information and Strategy, Mr Tunbosun Oyintiloye, said other bills passed by the assembly, were the Osun State Audit Bill, 2019; Osun State Legislative Funds Management Bill, 2019, and the Osun State Islamic and Customary Marriages (Registration) Bill, 2019.

Also passed into law is the Osun State Urban and Regional Planning Bill, 2019.

He stated that the lawmakers also adopted the Harmonised Standing Orders and Rules of the Houses of Assembly in the South-West Region and considered Schedule 7 to the Osun Waste Management Authority Law, 2015.

Giving insight into the bill against forceful takeover of landed property, the statement said, “A group or group of persons, who, having used force to take over a landed property in the state before the commencement of this law and remain in possession of the said property three months after the commencement of the law commits an offence.

“A person who commits an offence under the provisions of subsections (1) and (2) shall, on conviction, be liable to 20 years imprisonment without an option of fine.”