The Niger state government has directed clerics to obtain a licence before they can preach publicly.
Umar Farooq, director-general of the Niger state religious affairs, said the government has also banned public preaching.
“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,” Farooq told Punch.
He said preachers are required to obtain forms from the agency, after which they will face a screening panel before being cleared to preach.
Advertisement
Reacting to the directive, Bashir Yankuzo, chief imam of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, said the government cannot stop preaching but can regulate it where security is threatened.
“The government cannot dictate who to preach to and who not to preach. But at the same time, if there are people who are going out of their way to cause security threats,” he said.
However, Raphael Opawoye, secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger state, said the group was not aware of the directive.
Advertisement
