Niger Governor Orders Preachers to Submit Sermons for Approval
By: Israel Adeleke
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports as gathered that Governor Umar Bago of Niger State has announced that all religious preachers in the state must submit their sermons for approval before delivering them.
OTN News further reports as gathered that the governor, speaking during an interview on TVC’s Politics on Sunday, clarified that the directive is not a ban on evangelism but a regulatory measure aimed at preventing incitement and maintaining public order.
According to him, “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.”
OTN News observes that when he was asked if it was out of fear of indoctrination that prompted this new move, 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.”
OTN News recalls that the directive, which first came to light earlier this month, has stirred controversy across religious communities in Niger State.
Earlier, the Director General of Niger State Religious Affairs, Umar Farooq, disclosed that anyone intending to preach in the state must obtain a licence within two months.
“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, fill out the form, and then face a screening panel before they can start preaching,” Farooq explained.
The move has drawn mixed reactions. The Chief Imam of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Bashir Yankuzo, argued that while preaching is a divine duty outside government control, authorities can act when sermons pose a threat to public peace.
“If there are people who are going out of their way to cause security threats, using abusive words and so on, then government can have control over that,” he said.
On the other hand, the Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said it was unaware of the development. Its secretary, Raphael Opawoye, noted: “The Christian Association of Nigeria is not aware of the ban. We shall come up with a statement when we are officially informed.”
Some Islamic scholars have also criticized the move. Uthman Siraja described the measure 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,” he said.
The debate continues as religious leaders and residents await further clarification and enforcement steps from the state government.
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