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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF) has rejected a provision in the proposed Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which reportedly prescribes a ₦50,000 fine for individuals found preaching in commercial buses, describing it as a threat to constitutionally guaranteed freedoms.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Elder Sunday Oibe, the forum called on President Bola Tinubu to withhold assent to the bill if it retains the controversial provision, warning that it could fuel religious tension and infringe on citizens’ rights.
According to NOSCEF, criminalising peaceful religious preaching in public spaces would amount to “a dangerous encroachment on the constitutionally guaranteed rights of Nigerians to freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and peaceful propagation of their faith.”
The group added that such a law “has the potential to generate unnecessary tension and undermine the harmonious coexistence of our diverse religious communities.”
NOSCEF urged President Tinubu not to approve any legislation containing provisions that penalise peaceful evangelism.
“We respectfully urge Mr. President not to allow himself to be drawn into endorsing legislation that could plunge the nation into avoidable controversy and deepen existing divisions,” the statement said.
The forum argued that preaching the Gospel is a core obligation of the Christian faith and cannot be abandoned because of legislation.
“The Christian faith is founded on the divine mandate given by our Lord Jesus Christ to ‘go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.’ The Holy Scriptures further instruct believers to preach the Word ‘in season and out of season.’ This is not a political assignment but a sacred responsibility that Christians cannot abandon because of human legislation,” Oibe stated.
Defending the conduct of Christian evangelism, NOSCEF maintained that believers have consistently carried out their religious activities peacefully and without coercion.
“As law-abiding citizens, Christians have always carried out evangelism peacefully and without coercion. We do not compel anyone to embrace our faith, but we cannot surrender our God-given responsibility to proclaim the Gospel wherever lawful opportunities exist,” the statement read.
It added, “We shall continue to obey God while respecting the rights and dignity of every Nigerian, irrespective of religious affiliation.”
The forum also questioned whether religious stakeholders were adequately consulted before the inclusion of the provision, noting that public preaching is a common practice among both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria.
“If members of both faiths consider preaching and religious exhortation to be integral to their beliefs, whose interests does this provision seek to serve?” the group asked.
While expressing support for efforts to improve road safety, NOSCEF insisted that traffic regulations should not be used to limit constitutional freedoms.
“NOSCEF supports every genuine effort to improve road safety, strengthen traffic law enforcement, and discourage activities that endanger lives on our highways. However, road safety legislation should not become a vehicle for restricting fundamental freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement said.
The organisation called on the National Assembly to review the amendment and remove any provision that seeks to penalise peaceful religious preaching.
It also appealed to Nigerians to remain calm and pursue the issue through lawful and democratic means.
“Nigeria’s unity and stability are better served by laws that protect the rights of every citizen rather than those capable of creating suspicion, resentment, and unnecessary religious tension,” the statement added.
