By Nafisat Abdulrahman

Copyright leadership

The Concerned Christian Youth Forum (CCYF) has strongly condemned a new policy introduced by Governor Umar Bago of Niger State requiring religious preachers to submit their sermons for approval before public delivery.

In a statement signed by its convener, Paul James Adama, the forum described the law as “ill-thought, ill-advised, anti-religious, discriminatory, oppressive and preposterous.”

According to the CCYF, “Niger State has been in the limelight in recent times for some wrong reasons. This time, apart from the worrisome challenge of insecurity, the state government has exacerbated the situation by adding yet another concern to the gravely concerning condition of the state – the introduction of the law mandating all religious preachers in the state to submit their sermon notes for approval and obtain due approval from the government before preaching.”

While acknowledging the dangers of “reckless, hateful and inciteful preaching,” the group insisted that the law amounted to religion censorship and a violation of constitutionally guaranteed rights.

“This is nothing short of religious censorship and a gross violation of the fundamental human rights of the people as it relates to their freedom of thought and religion which is enshrined in Sections 38 and 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement read.

The group also drew attention to international provisions, citing Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief (1981).

“These key UN instruments provide freedom of thought, conscience and religion; freedom to change religion or belief; freedom to manifest, practice or express religion or belief; prohibition of all forms of discrimination and incitement and protection for all regardless of religion or belief,” the CCYF stated.

The forum further argued that the government’s priorities should be addressing poverty, insecurity and underdevelopment rather than clamping down on religious freedom.

“Now, come to think of it, apart from a horrifying insecurity situation, Niger State is grappling with widespread poverty having one of the highest poverty rates in the country with well over 64% of her population living below the poverty line despite blingmimyju the largest state in terms of land mass. Basic infrastructures like electricity, healthcare facilities, drinkable water supply and education are out of reach of most of the population,” Adama said.

Citing figures from 2022, the forum lamented that the adult literacy rate in the state stood at just 38.1%, far below the national average of 63.16%. “Appalling!” the statement added.

The group argued that insecurity in the state could be linked to poverty and underdevelopment and urged the government to “formulate people-oriented policies aimed at enhancing the economic prospects of the state and lifting people out of poverty rather than resorting to diversionary tactics by introducing a totally irrelevant, unreasonable, illogical and inappropriate law.”

The CCYF concluded by joining “other well-meaning voices both within and outside the state as well as across religious divides in denouncing this obnoxious, oppressive, repressive and retrograde law,” while reaffirming its stand against religious incitement.

It appealed to Governor Bago’s administration to “jettison forthwith, the law subjecting preachers to mandatory licensing and requiring preachers to submit their sermon notes for verification and approval,” in the interest of peace, justice, constitutional order and international commitments on religious see.