A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has ruled against Governor Nasir El-rufai over plans by the State Government to issue “preaching licences” to pastors of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Igbere TV reports.
Igbere TV recalls that the Kaduna State House of Assembly had on Friday, June 7 passed the Religious Preaching Regulation Bill into law.
The State Government had argued that the bill was meant to regulate religious preaching in order to promote religious harmony and peaceful coexistence not to stifle religious freedom.
It provides for the establishment of an Interfaith Regulatory Council at the state level and committees at local government levels responsible for screening and issuing licence to preachers.
The councils will have two representatives each of Christian and Islamic bodies among other members.
The bill states that any person who plays religious cassette and uses a loudspeaker for religious outside a church or mosque commits an offence.
According to the bill, the person on conviction will be liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years or pay a fine.
The bill also states that any person who publicly insults or seeks to incite contempt against any religion, by making false statements in such a manner as likely lead to a breach of peace, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of not less than five years or a fine of not less than N100,000 or both.
Delivering judgement on Wednesday, however, the Court held that “using the Religious Regulatory Bill is a gross violation of their (PFN) fundamental human rights, which guarantees freedom of association and freedom of religion. Thus, inconsistent with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).”
The Court, therefore, declared the bill “illegal.”
The Presiding Judge, Hon Justice D. Gwadah further added that “the actions of the Kaduna State House of Assembly in proceeding to pass the bill into law despite the pending court proceedings and the subsisting court injunction restraining the action is an affront to this honourable court.”
Igbere TV reports that the case which was declared today, was instituted by the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) Kaduna chapter since 2016 against Kaduna State Governor (Mallam Nasir El-Rufai), Kaduna State House of Assembly and the Attorney General of Kaduna State over the Kaduna State Religious Regulatory Bill.
More details later…
