A 10-year imprisonment awaits arsonists in Nasarawa State if a law against violent acts is passed before the state House of Assembly.
Mr Francis Orogu, member representing Keana constituency in the State House of Assembly, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lafia that the law would seek to prevent the burning of public places and private property.
Orogu decried the upsurge in burning of palaces, houses, farmlands, schools, health facilities and other public property during crisis by some hoodlums and unpatriotic elements in the state.
He said that this prompted him to sponsor the bill that would regulate the activities of traditional rulers, religious leaders and politicians in the state.
The lawmaker said that 10 years imprisonment without any option of fine for arsonists was part of the provisions of the proposed law.
“What prompted me also to sponsor the bill is that people take advantage if there is a crisis to burn palaces, which are places for safety of lives and preservation of our tradition, cultural norms and values.
“It will soon be an offence for anybody to destroy or burn down any palace in Nasarawa state as we know that palace is a place for the preservation of cultural values in the society.
“Any person found convicted by any court of law shall be imprisoned for 10 years without any option of fine to serve as deterrent to others in the state,” he said.
According to him, the bill does not only ban traditional rulers from residing outside their domains, but it will also take care of areas where traditional rulers shall not be removed or suspended from office by the governor without the approval of the state traditional council of chiefs.
Orogu advised arsonists to desist from the act henceforth to avoid imprisonment without an option of fine and in the interest of peace and development of the state.
He also said that the law was not to witch-hunt anybody but to correct abnormalities that existed in the traditional institutions in the society, noting that traditional institutions were custodians of peace and hence the need to preserve the cultural values of the people in the state.
Orogu called on the people of the state to engage themselves in meaningful ventures and to shun acts capable of tarnishing the image of the state for the overall development of the country.
The legislator enjoined citizens to live in peace and tolerate one another irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliation for the overall development of the state and the country at large.
He reiterated the assembly’s commitment to make people-oriented laws.