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Bago insists the move is to safeguard peace, not restrict evangelism
The Governor of Niger State, Umar Bago, has defended a newly introduced law that mandates religious preachers to submit their sermons for official review before delivery, saying the move is designed to curb incitement and preserve peace in the state.
Speaking during an interview on TVC’s Politics on Sunday, Bago dismissed claims that the directive was a ban on evangelism. He stressed that no preacher would be stopped from ministering but insisted that clerics must operate within guidelines that ensure security and social harmony.
“I didn’t ban evangelism,” the governor clarified. “For anybody going to a 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 allowed to be a cleric, you will go out and preach the gospel that is anti-people, anti-government, and think it’s normal.”
According to him, the new process is meant to prevent indoctrination and the spread of messages capable of fueling unrest. He noted that the law would be implemented with the support of key security agencies, including the Department of State Services, the Police, Civil Defence, and the military.
Earlier this month, the Director General of the Niger State Religious Affairs, Umar Farooq, announced that the government had given all preachers in the state a two-month window to obtain licences before they could continue their activities. Clerics, he explained, are required to fill out registration forms, undergo screening, and be certified before receiving clearance to preach in public.
The development, however, has stirred controversy and mixed reactions among Nigerians. Some critics fear the measure could be used to suppress religious freedom, while others argue that it is a necessary safeguard against extremist ideologies.
Amid the debate, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State chapter, clarified that the directive does not extend to Christian preachers. The association said it had no plans to challenge the government in court, describing the law as widely misunderstood. Daniel Atori, media aide to the CAN chairman, explained that the Bureau for Religious Affairs had merely introduced the Da’awah Registration Form and Certification Process to regulate clerics and reduce the risk of misleading or provocative preaching.
In the same vein, the Niger State Bureau for Religious Affairs denied that the law imposes a blanket restriction on preaching. The bureau’s media aide, Haruna Mustapha, said the certification process is aimed at fostering religious harmony and tolerance.
“The objective of the exercise is to sensitise the sector, promote religious harmony, unity, and ensure proper religious propagation throughout the state,” Mustapha stated. He added that the committee in charge has also been mandated to issue guidelines to applicants and warned that violations of those guidelines could result in the withdrawal of licences.
The debate over the policy continues to generate interest across the country, highlighting the delicate balance between freedom of worship and the need to protect communities from incendiary rhetoric. For now, the Niger State government insists the law is a preventive step toward peace and stability, not a clampdown on religious practice.
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