Niger Gov. Bago says preachers must get approval before sermon

Niger State Governor Umar Bago has once again stated that preachers in the state must seek approval before presenting their sermons to the public.

Bago made this known while speaking during an interview on TVC’s ‘Politics on Sunday’

The governor clarified that his administration has never placed a ban on evangelism in the state,but only directed that anyone who wishes to preach must first obtain official authorisation.

When asked if he banned evangelism as part of the fight against insecurity, the governor Bago said preachers were only asked to submit their sermons before preaching every Friday.

He added that the state government wants to know what the preachers would be saying to avoid “anti-people and anti-government” sentiments.

“I didn’t ban evangelism. The religious affairs said for anybody going to sermon on Friday, he should bring his scriptures for review,” he said.

“It’s normal. Even in Saudi Arabia, it is done like that. We cannot say because you have been given the opportunity to be a cleric, you will go out and preach some gospel that is anti-people, anti-government and you think it’s normal.

“We want to be able to see what they are preaching, and hear what they are saying.”

It would be recalled that the Niger state government recently banned unlicensed religious preaching across the state.

The director-general of the Niger State Religious Affairs Department, Umar Farooq, said preachers have a two-month window to secure the licence.

However, the development has generated mixed reactions from the public, especially among the Muslim faithful.

Niger State is one the state mostly affected by insecurity, as banditry, kidnapping, maiming and killings have taken deep root in some of its rural communities and forest-belted areas.