CAN, clerics, lawyers take position on new sermon policy in Niger

Everyone going to sermon on Friday, should bring his scriptures for review.” With those words during a TVC interview, Governor Umar Bago of Niger state introduced a new policy that has stirred heated debate across the state.

The Director General of the Niger State Religious Affairs, Umar Farooq, has explained that the new directive on religious preaching is not a fresh policy but an existing law being revived.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with SOCIETY WATCH on Sunday, Farooq said the law has been in place since 1985.

“We have a law in Niger State, there has been an edict law since 1985, so it’s not a new policy. The preaching law has been in existence. What we are just trying to do now is to revive the law to make it useful, so that we can have peaceful environments and avoid creating tensions,” he explained.

He stressed that the state government has not banned preaching, but clerics must now be more careful with their words.

“All preachers should be guided and careful with their utterances. Being a cleric does not give anyone the right to say whatever they want. If a cleric wants to preach, he is free to do so, but it should be the words of God and His prophets. Nobody has banned preaching in Niger State. The governor did not ban preaching, but all preachers must avoid spreading hatred, inciting violence, or insulting other people and institutions. Everything should be done with order to maintain harmony in the state,” Farooq said.

According to him, the aim of the law is not to silence religious leaders but to bring order and discipline to the sector. “We never intended to silence any preacher. Our goal is simply to sanitize the sector,” he explained.

Farooq also explained that the move will help the state gather proper data on clerics.

“This development will give us data, like the number of preachers we have in the state. We are going to generate forms and give to Islamic religious groups so that they can identify their members who preach. As we are giving them forms, we will also be training them, building their capacity, and giving them certificates which will increase their exposure and knowledge on what to say and what not to say. We don’t have a limit,” he said.

On enforcement, Farooq said any preacher who violates the guidelines will be held accountable through their group or sect.