Niger State Governor Umar Bago has defended the state’s new policy requiring religious preachers to submit their sermons for approval before delivering them.
Speaking on TVC’s Politics on Sunday, Bago insisted the measure was not a ban on evangelism but a safeguard against messages that could incite violence or threaten public order.
“I didn’t ban evangelism. For anybody going to sermon on a Friday, he should bring his scriptures for review, and it’s normal. Even in Saudi Arabia, it’s done like that. 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,” Bago said.
He explained that the initiative is aimed at preventing indoctrination and would be enforced with the cooperation of security agencies, including the DSS, Police, Civil Defence, and the military.
Earlier this month, Niger State’s Director General of Religious Affairs, Umar Farooq, announced that all preachers would be required to obtain licences within two months. Applicants must fill out forms, appear before a screening panel, and be certified before they can preach publicly.
The directive has generated mixed reactions across the state. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State chapter, clarified that the directive does not affect Christian preachers and said there would be no legal challenge against the government.
Daniel Atori, media aide to the CAN chairman, stated that the order had been misinterpreted, stressing that the Bureau for Religious Affairs only introduced the Da’awah Registration Form and Certification Process to regulate preaching and curb misleading messages.
The Bureau for Religious Affairs also denied any blanket ban on preaching. Its media aide, Haruna Mustapha, said clerics are merely required to undergo basic evaluation and obtain certification to ensure their sermons promote peace and religious tolerance.
“The objective of the exercise is to sensitise the sector, promote religious harmony, unity, and ensure proper religious propagation throughout the state. Furthermore, the committee has been mandated to issue guidelines to all applicants, and any violation of the guidelines may lead to withdrawal of the certificate granted,” Mustapha said.
