The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State chapter, has confirmed it will not take legal action against the state government over its new policy requiring preachers to obtain a license.
Contrary to some reports, the association clarified that the directive, which introduced a “Da’awah Registration Form and Certification Process,” does not affect Christian clerics.
According to a statement by CAN’s spokesperson, Daniel Atori, the new process is part of the government’s efforts to prevent misunderstandings and curb the spread of misleading preaching across the state.
“The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Niger state chapter, will not sue the State Government because the statement, according to the Bureau of Religious Affairs, does not in any way affect Christians in the state.
“The said meeting by the Bureau was convened to introduce the Da’awah Registration Form and Certification Process, which he said is part of ongoing efforts to prevent misunderstandings and curb the spread of misleading preaching across the state,” Atori said.
He added that the Bureau for Religious Affairs, the agency behind the directive, does not have the authority to arbitrarily ban clerics unless they violate established guidelines.
The Bureau’s media aide, Haruna Mustapha, also dismissed claims of a complete ban on preaching as “misinformation.” He reiterated that the goal is to regulate religious messages to promote harmony.
“The attention of the Niger State Bureau for Religious Affairs has been drawn to misleading reports circulating on various social media platforms and Print Media that ‘Bureau For Religious Affairs has ban preaching in the state’, falsely claiming that the Bureau has suspended Islamic Scholars and Clerics from preaching in the state,” Mustapha said.
“This information is incorrect and amounts to misinformation. The Agency does not have the authority to arbitrarily ban Islamic Scholars or Clerics unless there is a clear violation of established guidelines.”
He further explained that clerics who wish to preach in the state must obtain and fill out the registration form, undergo an evaluation, and be certified.
The registration period began on September 4th and is set to close on September 30th.
