Christians and Muslims in the country engage in war of words over a contentious Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Bill seeking to ban religious activities on buses
By Patrick Ogboru
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Bill which is seeking to ban religious activities on buses has pitted Christian and Muslims in the country against each other. The Bill which had been passed by the upper legislative chamber awaiting presidential assent, is seeking to criminalize preaching and hawking on buses. But some Christian organisations have opposed the proposed amendment to the FRSC Bill.
The Christian bodies, including the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) and the Organisation of African Instituted Churches, warned that the proposed legislation could infringe on Nigerians’ constitutional rights and worsen the plight of vulnerable citizens.
Recall that recently, the Senate passed the FRSC (Amendment) Bill, 2026, proposing a N50,000 fine against anyone found guilty of hawking, trading or preaching inside commercial vehicles.
The Bill seeks to strengthen road safety enforcement and curb practices considered capable of distracting drivers, it is awaiting presidential assent.
If the Bill is signed into law, the legislation will impose a N50,000 fine, six months’ imprisonment, or both, on motorists who refuse to cooperate with officials of the FRSC during roadside breath tests conducted on reasonable suspicion.
Reacting to the proposed legislation, the CCN said it was “deeply concerned” about the inclusion of preaching among the prohibited activities.
The body, in a statement signed by its General Secretary, Rev. Evans Onyemara, said although it supports measures aimed at improving road safety, the legislation should not come at the expense of constitutionally guaranteed freedoms.
The council argued that placing Christian evangelism in the same category as commercial activities raises serious constitutional and human rights concerns.
The statement read, “The Christian Council of Nigeria fully supports every genuine effort aimed at improving road safety and reducing accidents on our highways. Respect for traffic regulations saves lives and should be encouraged.
“While the objective may be to reduce distractions, the inclusion of preaching alongside hawking and trading raises legitimate concerns about freedom of religion and expression as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
According to the Council, commercial buses have for decades served as spaces where Christians share brief messages of hope, repentance, encouragement and prayers with willing passengers, insisting that any attempt to restrict such activities must undergo careful constitutional scrutiny.
The Council also faulted the proposed N50,000 fine for hawkers, saying the measure addresses the symptoms of the country’s economic crisis rather than its root causes.
According to the CCN, many Nigerians engage in street and mobile trading because of widespread poverty, unemployment and rising economic hardship, and should not be punished for trying to survive.
“The Council also believes that imposing heavy fines on people engaged in hawking fails to address the deeper issues of poverty, unemployment, and economic hardship confronting millions of Nigerians. Poverty should not be criminalised,” the statement read.
Condemning what Christians see as a discriminatory Bill, the Organisation of African Instituted Churches called on the President to withhold assent to the proposed legislation, warning that any law with the effect of criminalising peaceful religious expression could constitute an unnecessary restriction on the constitutional rights of Nigerians.
The group made the call in a statement by its President, Israel Akinadewo. The statement read, “OAIC considers it insensitive and inappropriate to equate the peaceful proclamation of the Gospel with commercial hawking. While recognising the need to ensure safety and order on Nigerian roads, the Association maintains that preaching is a constitutionally protected exercise of the rights to freedom of religion and freedom of expression, and should not be treated as a criminal or commercial activity,” Akinadewo said.
The association argued that preaching in commercial buses has, over the years, remained a legitimate means of spreading messages of faith, hope, morality, repentance and peaceful coexistence across the country.
The proposed FRSC’s Amendment Bill further prescribes a N100,000 fine for traffic light violations and a N50,000 fine for hawking, trading, or preaching on commercial buses.
The lawmakers argue that the provisions were aimed at reducing distractions and improving safety for drivers and passengers.
The Women Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN) has also condemned the Bill. In a statement, the National Chairperson of WOWICAN, Dr Ayobami Akinadewo, said that peaceful religious expression should not be criminalised.
Acknowledging the FRSC’s responsibility to promote road safety, it argued, however, that preaching should not be treated in the same category as activities that directly threaten it.
Therefore, WOWICAN urged President Bola Tinubu not to assent to any provision that criminalises preaching, and further called on the National Assembly to review the clause through consultations with religious bodies, legal experts and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).
The group warned that legislation perceived as targeting religious expression could create division and set a precedent against constitutionally protected freedoms.
WOWICAN urged Christian leaders and members to remain peaceful and law-abiding while using lawful and democratic channels to advocate for the protection of their constitutional rights.
In its reaction to the opposition mounted by Christian bodies to bus preaching and hawking Bill, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) said such opposition exposes selfish agenda of Christian leaders.
MURIC accused Christian leaders in Nigeria of pursuing a selfish agenda for opposing the FRSC bill banning preaching and hawking inside buses.
In a statement issued by the Executive Director of the civil liberties group, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Monday, July 20, 2026, MURIC expressed shock and disbelief over the opposition of Christian leaders to the proposed Bill.
The group described Christian opposition to the Bill as selfish, myopic and parochial. MURIC urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ignore Christian leaders who opposed the Bill prohibiting bus preaching by signing it into law.
MURIC further explained that two Christian organisations have opposed the proposed amendment to the FRSC Bill which seeks to criminalise preaching in commercial vehicles.
The Christian bodies, it said, were the Christian Council of Nigeria and the Organisation of African Instituted Churches.
MURIC argued, “We are shocked to our marrows that any civilised person (let alone Christian leaders) will oppose an initiative designed to protect Nigerians from road accidents and religious crisis. This opposition is motivated by selfishness, myopism and parochialism.
“It is strange to see that opposition to this progressive idea has come from churches which, ceteris paribus, are full of highly educated people who are supposed to know better. It is another proof that Nigeria is full of educated illiterates.
“Christian leaders know that it is wrong to preach inside commercial buses but they will stop at nothing to achieve their selfish agenda of getting more converts. It is part of Christian aggressive proselitisation and firebrand evangelism.
“It confirms our long-standing suspicion that everything is acceptable to Christian leaders, fair or foul. What they cannot get by the straight, they will take by the bend.
“Is it not a shame that Christian bodies will collectively oppose orderliness and brazenly embolden chaos? Only anarchists are expected to oppose a bill aimed at stopping carnage on the roads.
“They must tell us if preaching inside the bus is more important than protecting the lives of Nigerians and preserving their soberness, their dignity and their humanity. This is about decency in human society. It is not about religion.
“Nobody is allowed to preach inside buses in saner climes. Where in America can we see preachers inside the bus? Nobody will try this inside buses, trains, tubes or trolleys in London, Paris or Frankfurt.
“Under the British Public Order Act 1986, if a street or bus preacher’s conduct causes significant distress, uses inflammatory language, or provokes an angry public response, he can be arrested or moved along for causing a breach of the peace.
“That was why a Nigerian pastor was thrown off a London bus on 3rd December, 2015 for preaching inside the bus.
“On 24th February, 2019, another Nigerian Christian was arrested in London for public disturbance.
“We also have these laws in Nigeria but implementation is the problem. That is why things are not working in our society. We lack respect for social decorum. We disregard rules and regulations.
“We push and struggle instead of joining the queue. We throw thrash on the street and into the gutters instead of using the bins. Funny enough, we pray to God to protect us from flood!
“The churches opposing this bill will also pray for you against road accidents. It is acrobatic religiousity and gymnastic spirituality. Who did this to Nigeria?
“The churches and mosques are enough for us to preach. Why must buses be turned into houses of God? Why? The reason is not far-fetched.
“Christian leaders want millions of converts for material gains, not to serve God. The higher the number converted to Christianity the higher the income through tithes paid by members (Malachi 3:10).
“Of course, it also implies the richer the leadership the higher the number of private jets owned by church leaders even though this does not reflect in the economic and social condition of members.
“Christian leaders aim at converting every Muslim in Nigeria to Christianity. It is an open secret that they have nursed a vision of Nigeria for Jesus for decades. Bus preaching by Nigerian Christians was, therefore institutionalised. It was seen as normal.
“In this regard, one of the methods used to achieve that objective is by trapping Muslims in public transports with Christian messages.
“They know that not less than 95 per cent Nigerians use public transport. It is an effective means of spreading hot gospel but it is selfish and anachronistic.
“Preaching inside the bus is a money spinner for Christian leaders because it attracts converts, swells the tithes and builds more billionaire pastors. This explains their fury over the bill prohibiting bus-preaching which has already been approved and awaiting the president’s assent.
“Christian leaders will oppose anything that threatens their agenda of proliferation of churches and multiplication of members. That is why they oppose the FRSC bill on bus preaching.
“We know they will not tell the true story when they report this to America. They are most likely to tell the White House that Christians are not being allowed to preach in Nigeria,” the group added.
MURIC urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ignore Christian leaders who oppose the bill prohibiting bus preaching, saying “We appeal to Mr. President to sign the bill into law.
“To Nigerian Christian leaders we bring the words of Isaiah: ‘Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.’
“Isaiah 5:20 is a warning against moral perversion and a strong prophetic rebuke against a society that distorts truth and blurs the lines between right and wrong. The question is: Is it worth the while?” it queried.
