Clerics, lawyers, and lawmakers have taken a stance on the controversial new sermon policy in Niger State, Nigeria.

On Sunday, September 14, Max Online reported that while responding to questions in an interview on Nigeria’s TVC, Governor Umar Bago made controversial statements regarding clerical sermons.

He warned that preachers in the state must first submit their sermons for approval before delivering them to their congregation.

Umar Farooq, the Director General of the Niger State Religious Affairs, explained the “Sermon Law” is not new and had been in existence since 1985, during the reign of General Ibrahim Babangida.

“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.

Farooq said any preacher who violates the guidelines will be held accountable through their group or sect. “When a preacher violates these things, we go after their groups because it’s their sect that knows them and will be their guarantors. Any preacher that derails, we will hold his group responsible.”

In an interview with the Daily Post of Nigeria, Daniel Atori, media officer to Reverend Bulus Yohana, Chairman of the Association of Nigeria, has clarified the law does not apply to Christians, but only Muslims.

“When the news first broke, many thought it covered everyone – pastors, reverends, and imams. But upon review, it became clear that the directive was mainly for Islamic clerics under the Da’awa registration,” Atori explained.

The motivation behind the renewed interest to monitor sermons is due to extremism, rivalries, and political manipulation. It is believed that many have been triggered by religious preaching of different sects and activities of extremist preachers to commit heinous crimes.