The Osun Secret Cult and Secret Societies Prohibition Bill 2020, forwarded to the Osun House of Assembly by Governor Gboyega Oyetola passed first reading on Tuesday.
Speaker Timothy Owoeye read the covering letter accompanying the executive bill during plenary.
The governor requested the legislature to consider the bill for speedy passage into law.
Mr Owoeye said the governor stated that the executive council had reviewed and deliberated on the bill, which, if passed into law would have stiff penalties for cult-related and secret society issues.
The Speaker, however, noted that the state had an existing law which prohibits secret cult activities.
He suggested that the new bill could be merged with the existing law.
He said the assembly’s legal department and the House Committee on Legal Matters would take over the review of the new bill and work out modalities on what decisions the assembly would take.
