The Concerned Christian Youth Forum has strongly criticised the newly enacted religious preaching law by the Niger State government, describing it as “ill-advised, discriminatory, and oppressive.”
Under the new policy, preachers in Niger State are required to submit their sermons for vetting and approval before they can be delivered in public. The state’s Religious Affairs Department also introduced a licensing system that mandates clerics to fill out forms, undergo screening, and obtain certification within two months.
Governor Umar Bago, speaking recently on TVC’s Politics, defended the law, stating it was not a ban on evangelism. According to him, the measure aims to curb sermons considered “anti-people” or “anti-government” and to prevent religious messages that could incite unrest. He added that enforcement will involve collaboration with security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), Police, Civil Defence, and the military.
However, in a statement issued on Wednesday, the Christian youth group, led by its convener Paul Adama, argued that the policy amounts to religious censorship and a violation of the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of thought and religion.
“This is nothing short of religious censorship and a gross violation of the fundamental human rights of the people, as enshrined in Sections 38 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution,” the forum stated.
The group also cited international provisions such as Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protect the right to hold and manifest one’s beliefs without government interference.
The forum urged the state government to withdraw the law immediately, warning that religion is a highly sensitive issue in Nigeria and must be handled with caution to maintain peace and harmony.
“We stand for religious sanity and denounce all forms of incitement. But we appeal to the government to jettison this law requiring preachers to submit sermon notes for verification and approval,” the statement added.
Beyond religious concerns, the group called on the Niger State government to prioritise pressing developmental issues such as insecurity, poverty, poor infrastructure, and underdevelopment rather than stifling religious freedom.
