The Plateau State Displaced Persons Property Protection Bill sponsored by the Member representing Riyom Constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly and Chairman House Committee on Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Timothy Dalyop Dantong which seeks to provide for the protection of property of displaced people who are affected by ethno-religious crisis and terror attacks in Plateau State, disabuse the minds of citizens of the State from seeing the resultant effects as conquest, criminalize the act of forceful occupation and misappropriating the property of victims, and prescribe punishment for doing so has been harmonized with an Executive Bill and passed into Law on 24th December, 2020 by the Executive Governor of Plateau State, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Simon Lalong.

The harmonized Bill now Anti-kidnapping, Anti-land Grabbing, Cultism and other Anti-violence Related Matters Law will enforce the prosecution of those engaged in the mentioned offences.

While signing the Harmonized Bill passed by the Plateau State House of Assembly, Gov. Lalong posited that the law is long overdue because of the increase in kidnapping, land grabbing and other violent crimes within the State.
Gov. Lalong said “as a responsible Government, we cannot fold our arms to see people being terrorized by criminals who are clearly out to cause mayhem. This new law will deal with anyone caught in the act and I urge security agencies to be on their toes and ensure that culprits are apprehended and made to face the law”.

Hon. Dantong expressed great satisfaction at the harmonization and passing of the Bill into Law. He said it will help people of his Constituency to regain back their land which were being forcefully grabbed and occupied by crisis Merchants.

“What is left for the Governor is to match his words with action as over 30 displaced communities have been taken over and being occupied by attackers who are still threat to security in the Constituency” the Lawmaker said.

The law provides death sentence for those convicted for kidnapping while those found guilty for cultism shall be jailed for a minimum of 7 years. Others involved in meting out violence on anyone risk spending up to 10 years in jail upon conviction. Land Grabbers will be prosecuted and jailed in accordance with the New Law.

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Hon. Dantong’s Bill on a Law to Protect Property of Displaced Persons Harmonized and Passed into Law