Christian organisations have kicked against a proposed amendment to the Federal Road Safety Corps Act that seeks to criminalise preaching in commercial vehicles, warning that it could infringe on Nigerians’ constitutional rights to freedom of religion and expression.
The Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) and the Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) have urged President Bola Tinubu to withhold assent to the bill, calling for broader consultations before it becomes law.
The Senate had on Thursday passed the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which proposes a ₦50,000 fine for anyone convicted of hawking, trading or preaching inside commercial vehicles. If signed into law, offenders could face the fine, six months’ imprisonment, or both.
Reacting, the CCN said it was deeply concerned that preaching had been lumped together with other prohibited activities in commercial buses. In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Rev. Evans Onyemara, the council said it backed efforts to improve road safety but insisted such measures should not erode constitutionally guaranteed freedoms.
“The Christian Council of Nigeria fully supports every genuine effort aimed at improving road safety and reducing accidents on our highways. Respect for traffic regulations saves lives and should be encouraged,” Onyemara said. “While the objective may be to reduce distractions, the inclusion of preaching alongside hawking and trading raises legitimate concerns about freedom of religion and expression as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The council noted that commercial buses have for decades served as spaces where Christians share brief messages of hope, repentance, encouragement and prayer with willing passengers, and argued that any move to restrict such activities should undergo careful constitutional scrutiny.
CCN also faulted the proposed ₦50,000 fine for hawkers, describing it as a punitive response to the country’s worsening economic hardship. It argued that many Nigerians turn to street and mobile trading because of poverty and unemployment.
“The Council also believes that imposing heavy fines on people engaged in hawking fails to address the deeper issues of poverty, unemployment and economic hardship confronting millions of Nigerians. Poverty should not be criminalised,” the statement added.
The council called on the Federal Government to consider alternatives such as designated trading areas, reasonable restrictions and economic empowerment programmes rather than punitive sanctions, and appealed to the President and National Assembly to widen consultations before the bill is signed.
In a similar vein, the OAIC urged Tinubu not to assent to the bill in its current form. In a statement by its President, Israel Akinadewo, the association argued that equating peaceful religious preaching with commercial hawking was inappropriate.
“OAIC considers it insensitive and inappropriate to equate the peaceful proclamation of the Gospel with commercial hawking. While recognising the need to ensure safety and order on Nigerian roads, the Association maintains that preaching is a constitutionally protected exercise of the rights to freedom of religion and freedom of expression, and should not be treated as a criminal or commercial activity,” Akinadewo said.
The association described preaching in commercial buses as a longstanding and legitimate means of spreading messages of faith, hope, repentance, morality and peaceful coexistence, and urged the National Assembly to review the contentious provisions through wider consultations involving religious bodies, civil society groups and other stakeholders.
“The Association therefore respectfully calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to assent to the Bill in its present form. We also urge the National Assembly to review the relevant provisions through broad consultations with religious bodies, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to ensure that public safety is promoted without undermining the constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and expression,” the statement added.
The OAIC, however, reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law and responsible religious conduct, urging Christian preachers to conduct evangelism in a manner that respects public order, while calling on the government to safeguard Nigerians’ constitutional freedoms.
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