Niger State Governor Umar Bago has said that preachers in the state must submit their sermons for approval before preaching.
The governor appeared on TVC’s Politics on Sunday to clarify some aspects of the law seeking to regulate preaching in the state.
He said: “I didn’t ban evangelism… For everyone going to sermon on Friday, he should bring his scriptures for review, and it’s normal. Even in Saudi Arabia, this is done. We cannot say because you have been given the opportunity to be a cleric, you will go out and preach the gospel that is anti-people, anti-government and you think it’s normal.”
Asked if it was out of fear of indoctrination, the governor said, “It’s in that direction. We want to be able to see what they are preaching, hear what they are saying. We are working together with security agencies; the Department of State Services (DSS), the Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the military.”
Recall that the new directive first became public earlier in the month.
The Director General of the Niger State Religious Affairs, Umar Farooq, had said anyone interested in preaching in Niger must obtain a licence, adding that preachers had two months to obtain their licences.
Farooq said: “It is true, the State Government has banned preaching. Any preacher who wants to preach must secure a licence between now and the next two months.
“All they need to do is to visit our office, get, and fill out the form. After which, they will have to face a panel that will screen them before they can start preaching.”
The secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Niger state chapter, Raphael Opawoye, had said the Christian body was not aware of the ban.
“The Christian Association of Nigeria is not aware of the ban. We shall come up with a statement when we are officially informed,” Opawoye had said.
However, an Islamic scholar, Uthman Siraja, had described it as an infringement on religious rights.
“The ban on preaching is an infringement of freedom of worship and religion.
“The best thing for the government to do is to invite and penalise any preacher who incites the public in the cause of his preaching,” Siraja had said.
