By Steve Oko
UMUAHIA — Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, on Monday signed four laws strengthening legal provisions against cultism, rape, sexual assault, kidnapping, child exploitation and vandalism of public infrastructure.
The new legislation also provides for a sex offenders’ register, addresses offences involving electronic records and digital assets, and introduces restorative justice mechanisms to make offenders accountable for harm caused by their actions.
Otti assented to the four bills passed by the eighth Abia State House of Assembly at a ceremony held at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia.
The laws are the Abia State Criminal Law No. 7 of 2026, the Administration of Criminal Justice Law No. 6 of 2026, the Restorative Justice Law No. 8 of 2026 and the Abia State University Amendment No. 2 Law No. 4 of 2026.
Explaining the crime-fighting provisions, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ikechukwu Uwanna, said the new Criminal Law strengthened measures against unlawful societies and secret cults by addressing membership, sponsorship, meetings and the management of such groups.
He said the provisions extended beyond educational institutions to communities, widening the scope of the state’s response to cult-related activities.
The law also provides sanctions for vandalising government infrastructure and dealing in stolen public assets, while strengthening legal protections against rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment and spousal violence.
Uwanna said the legislation recognised both male and female rape victims and provided for a sex offenders’ register to promote accountability.
Other provisions target kidnapping, child exploitation, corporate responsibility and offences involving electronic records and digital assets.
The Attorney-General said the reforms were informed by public concerns over cult violence, kidnapping, the destruction of public facilities, sexual violence and delays in criminal proceedings.
Otti vows strict enforcement
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Otti said his administration was determined to ensure strict compliance with the new laws, noting that gaps in existing legislation had sometimes constrained the enforcement of government policies.
The governor lamented that some existing laws did not prescribe sufficiently stringent consequences for certain offences, citing illicit drug consumption as an example.
He argued that demand for illicit drugs sustained their supply, insisting that the law should adequately address the role of consumers in the drug trade.
Otti, however, acknowledged that enacting laws was only part of the task, assuring residents that his administration had the political will to enforce them.
Earlier, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, said the legislature had followed the necessary procedures in passing the bills, describing them as important measures for strengthening governance and improving the administration of justice.
Uwanna explained that the three justice-related laws addressed criminal conduct, procedures for handling criminal cases and mechanisms for repairing harm caused by crime.
He said the broader sentencing options provided under the Criminal Law would allow for restitution where appropriate, enabling offenders to make amends for the consequences of their actions.
The Attorney-General also disclosed that the government planned to translate the new laws into Igbo to make their provisions more accessible to residents.
Abia varsity campus relocation
On the Abia State University Amendment Law, Otti said the relocation of the Umuahia campus to the institution’s main campus at Uturu was intended to reduce administrative costs and enable students to benefit from infrastructure and other investments at the main campus.
The governor commended the eighth House of Assembly, members of the judiciary and other stakeholders for their contributions to the legislative process.
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