Niger State Government Mandates Sermon Submission for Review

Niger state Governor, Umar Bago has ordered religious preachers in the state to submit their sermons for approval before delivering them.

Speaking on TVC’s Politics on Sunday, Bago explained that the move was not a ban on evangelism but a way to stop hate speech and protect the public.

“I didn’t ban evangelism. For anyone going to deliver a sermon on Friday, he should bring his scriptures for review, and it’s normal. Even in Saudi Arabia, this is done,” he said.

“We cannot allow clerics to go out and preach things that are anti-people or anti-government and think it is normal.”

The governor added that security agencies including the DSS, police, NSCDC, and the military will work with the state government to monitor the process.

Earlier, the Director-General of the State Religious Affairs, Umar Farooq, announced that anyone who wants to preach in Niger State must first obtain a licence within two months. He said preachers would need to fill out a form and appear before a panel before being cleared to preach.

The policy has sparked mixed reactions. The Chief Imam of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Bashir Yankuzo, maintains the government has no right to dictate who preaches, but agreed that action may be necessary if sermons threaten peace.

“Preaching is a command, and people do it for the sake of God,” he said.

“But if someone uses abusive words or poses a security threat, government can step in to maintain peace.”

On his part, the Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State, Raphael Opawoye, said the group was not officially aware of the new rules and would only respond when formally informed.