The Niger State government has announced a ban on religious preaching, directing anyone who wishes to preach to first obtain a licence.
The Director General of Niger State Religious Affairs, Umar Farooq, confirmed the directive in a telephone chat on Thursday, stating that preachers have a two-month window to secure the licence.
“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,” Farooq explained.
The decision has drawn mixed reactions. The Chief Imam of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Bashir Yankuzo, said preaching is a divine command and cannot be stopped by government, though he agreed that those who incite violence or use abusive language should be checked for the sake of peace and security.
The secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State chapter, Raphael Opawoye, said the body is not aware of the ban and will issue a statement once it is officially notified.
Islamic scholar Ustaz Hassan argued that such a law should be passed through the State House of Assembly before enforcement.
Similarly, Uthman Siraja, a Minna-based journalist and Islamic scholar, criticised the move, describing it as an infringement on freedom of worship and religion. He suggested that rather than imposing a blanket ban, the government should sanction only preachers who incite the public through their messages.
