Obtain Your Preaching Licences Or Close Your Churches - 19 Northern Governors Warn Christian Preachers

The fear of Nigerians losing their faith if President Buhari, who swore that it is his duty to Allah to ensure that Islam is spreed to every corner of Nigeria is now materializing. After much deliberations by the 19 governors of the Northern state in Nigeria, according to Hope For Nigeria, they concluded to commence the issuance of licences to Christian religious organisations and preachers in all states in the region. They as usual, sounded to be politically correct and fair, as they later added Islamic religion preachers. It is common knowledge that mostly Christian preachers are their target as they are the ones that always engage in evangelism and crusades both indoor and outdoor.

Nigerians were shocked few months ago when governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, proposed the religious Preaching bill. Those that were worried about this dangerous development, remembered that it was the same pattern that the ‘Political Sharia’ was introduced in Nigeria in Zamfara, which later gave rise to Boko Haram and emergence of some extreme anti-people Islamist groups. The Northern governors, stated that they were alarmed by the proliferation of sects and preachers in the region, also agreed to close down all religious organizations and institutions that refused to be registered with the respective state governments.

The bombshell according to Hope For Nigeria, was contained in their seven-page communique issued by the governors after a meeting in Kaduna. “In view of the above, it has become imperative to establish a regulatory mechanism to consistently monitor activities of newly registered and unregistered religious organizations, ascertain the sources of their funds, both locally and internationally, monitor the activities of new Islamic schools established by any of the sects as well as their curriculum,” the communiqué said.

They also agreed to “facilitate the issuance of certificates and licences to prospective preachers and ensuring that all Islamic schools and other religious organizations are duly registered by government and close all unregistered ones. “The Forum made an insightful and thorough review of the current security situation in the region with specific reference to Boko Haram insurgency, cattle rustling and lingering deadly clashes between farmers and cattle rearers as well as armed banditry and kidnapping which have been responsible for developmental challenges,” they said.

The Forum also urged the people to be focused on issues that will engender national unity and development and the consolidation of democratic gains in the nation, stressing that “peaceful co-existence and national interest should be of utmost concern to all.”

The seven-page communiqué was signed on behalf of the 19 governors by the Borno State governor and chairman of Northern State Governors Forum, Alhaji Kasim Shettima. All the states were represented by their governors or deputy governors.