Index to Nigerian Newspapers

The Niger State Government has banned unlicensed religious preaching across the state, requiring anyone who wishes to preach to obtain official authorization. The Director-General of the Niger State Religious Affairs Department, Umar Farooq, confirmed the directive and stated that preachers have a two-month window to secure a license. The directive has sparked mixed reactions from religious leaders and scholars. The Chief Imam of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Bashir Yankuzo, argued that preaching is a divine mandate and not subject to government control. The Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Niger State chapter, Raphael Opawoye, stated that the body was unaware of the ban. An Islamic scholar, Ustaz Hassan, stressed that the policy should go through legislative processes and be presented to the state House of Assembly for proper legislative action. A Minna-based journalist and Islamic scholar, Uthman Siraja, condemned the ban as a violation of fundamental rights, arguing that the best approach is for the government to invite and penalize only those preachers who incite the public during their preaching.