Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, has been asked to immediately withdraw the new policy requiring preachers to submit their sermons for government approval before delivery.

The Concerned Christian Youth Forum (CCYF) in a statement on Tuesday signed by its Convener, James Paul Adama, described the policy as “anti-religious, retrogressive, oppressive and a gross violation of fundamental human rights.”

The forum argued that the move amounted to religious censorship and contravened Sections 38 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantee freedom of thought, conscience, religion and expression.

The CCYF said the policy also breached international agreements that Nigeria is a signatory to, 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).

“Rather than introducing such ill-thought and discriminatory laws, the Niger State government should focus on tackling poverty, insecurity and underdevelopment,” the statement added.

‘Focus On Poverty, Insecurity, Not Religion’

The youth group said Niger State has one of the highest poverty rates in Nigeria, with over 64 per cent of its population living below the poverty line, yet the government was “preoccupied with stifling religious freedom.”

It advised the Bago administration to channel its energy into people-oriented policies that would boost economic growth, address insecurity and improve education, health and infrastructure.

While reaffirming its opposition to reckless and incisive preaching, the CCYF said subjecting sermons to government approval was unjustifiable and dangerous to peaceful coexistence.

It urged the 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.”