The Niger State Government has rolled out a new policy requiring religious preachers to submit their sermons for approval before presenting them in public. Governor Umar Bago confirmed the decision during an interview on TVC’s Politics on Sunday, stating that the aim is to prevent messages considered harmful to citizens or the government. He clarified that evangelism has not been banned but stressed that all preachers must present their scripts for review, citing similar practices in countries like Saudi Arabia.
Bago explained that the state will not allow clerics to deliver messages that are anti-people or anti-government. He added that security agencies, including the police, DSS, NSCDC, and the military, will collaborate with the government to monitor religious messages.In addition to sermon vetting, preachers are now required to obtain a licence before engaging in public preaching. The head of Niger State Religious Affairs, Umar Farooq, announced earlier this month that clerics have two months to apply. He said applicants must complete a form and appear before a screening panel before being granted permission to preach.
Source: https://guardian.ng/
