Governor Umar Bago of Niger State has declared that all preachers must submit their sermons for approval before delivery.
Speaking during TVC’s Politics on Sunday, Bago explained the provisions of the law designed to regulate religious preaching in the state.
Speaking on TVC’s Politics on Sunday, Bago said the move was aimed at ensuring accountability in religious sermons and preventing messages that could be harmful to society.
“I didn’t ban evangelism,” he explained. “For anyone going for a sermon on Friday, they should present their scriptures for review, and that is normal. Even in Saudi Arabia, this is done. We cannot say that because someone has the opportunity to be a cleric, they can go out and deliver messages that are anti-people, anti-government, and think it is acceptable.”
When asked if the regulation was meant to curb indoctrination, the governor said:
“It is in that direction. We want to know what they are preaching and hear what they are saying. We are working closely with security agencies—the Department of State Services (DSS), the Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the military.”
The policy, first announced earlier this month, has sparked mixed reactions across the state.
Confirming the development, the Director General of the Niger State Religious Affairs, Umar Farooq, explained that preachers will now be required to obtain licences before delivering sermons. He added that a two-month compliance period has been given.
“It is true that the State Government has placed restrictions on preaching,” Farooq said. “Any preacher who wants to continue must secure a licence within the next two months. All they need to do is visit our office, get and fill out the form, after which they will face a panel that will screen them before granting approval to preach.”
Religious leaders across the state have begun reacting to the directive.
The Chief Imam of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Bashir Yankuzo, stressed that preaching is a divine responsibility and not one that government should regulate.
“My opinion is that preaching is a command,” Yankuzo noted. “The government is not paying anyone for doing this work. People preach to seek the pleasure of God, so the government cannot dictate who should or should not preach. However, if there are individuals using sermons to create security threats or employing abusive language, then the government can step in to maintain peace and order.”
Similarly, the Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State, Raphael Opawoye, said the Christian body had not been officially briefed about the new directive.
“The Christian Association of Nigeria is not aware of the ban. We shall issue a statement once we are officially informed,” Opawoye said.
On the other hand, Islamic scholar Uthman Siraja strongly criticized the new measure, describing it as a violation of religious freedom.
“The ban on preaching infringes on freedom of worship and religion,” Siraja argued. “The government should instead focus on identifying and penalising preachers who incite the public during their sermons.”
The policy continues to generate heated debate across Niger State, with opinions divided on whether it strengthens security or undermines fundamental rights.