The Concerned Christian Youth Forum (CCYF) has demanded that Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, reverse the recently introduced regulation requiring religious leaders to present their sermons for prior approval before delivering them publicly.
In a statement endorsed by its Convener, James Paul Adama, the forum labelled the measure as “anti-religious, retrogressive, oppressive and a gross violation of fundamental human rights.”
CCYF insisted that the directive amounted to religious censorship, arguing that it clearly violates Sections 38 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, which uphold the rights to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and expression.
The forum also referenced global human rights standards, including 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 Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief (1981), noting that these legal instruments safeguard the practice of faith without government interference.
The group argued that instead of introducing “ill-thought and discriminatory” measures, the Niger State government should be prioritizing urgent challenges such as insecurity, poverty, and lack of development.
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It emphasized this point with data, stating: “Niger State has one of the highest poverty rates in the country with over 64 percent of its population living below the poverty line, yet the government is preoccupied with stifling religious freedom.”
The forum urged the present administration to concentrate on policies that directly impact citizens’ lives, programs that can grow the economy, improve education and healthcare, enhance infrastructure, and reduce security threats.
While acknowledging the dangers posed by reckless or inciting preaching, the CCYF stressed that forcing preachers to submit sermons for vetting cannot be justified and only endangers peaceful coexistence.
The statement concluded with a strong appeal to the Niger State government to “jettison forthwith the obnoxious law in the interest of peace, justice, good governance and respect for constitutional and international provisions on religious freedom.”