Governor El'Rufai and the Repugnancy of the "Religious Preaching Regulation Law" (2019) of Kaduna State.

As you are embroiled in the euphoria of Senator Lawan and Senator Omo-Agege emerging as President and Deputy President of the Senate respectively, Governor El'rufai of Kaduna State, is left unhinged, celebrating his invisibility, tampering and abridging your religious freedom and the rights to worship and serve your God in Kaduna State. This is a total violation of your constitutional rights, protected under section 38(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

I know that most of you are averse to reading long essays on social media. And I also know that the majority of us are not religious leaders or preachers of the gospel or reside in Kaduna State. Be that as it may, do know right now that it is forbidden or against the law in Kaduna State for any anyone to preach the gospel or propagate his faith in the open, consistent with the fundamental objectives of section 38 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

In addition, to be able to operate a place of worship in Kaduna State, you would have to first obtain a license from a committee set up by El'Rufai - a committee, whose decision is final. Mr. El'Rufai and his religious Mullahs are taking us to the stone-age era. They are questioning your freedom to serve God in your own way.

Lastly, for those of you who are adversely critical of religious leaders in your comments, your time is up. Whatever you say or write against a religious leader now can land you in jail or subject you to a fine.  This is not a joking matter; it is a timely warning to all Nigerians. Your fundamental rights and the right to worship and serve your God the way you want is under threat. 

Please, don't be persuaded by the emphasis on Noise by the drafter. Governor El'Rufai and his enablers are selling you a dummy. The "Religious Preaching (Regulation) Law" of 2019 of Kaduna State is totally and unequivocally repugnant. There is nowhere in a modern democracy where religious freedom is regulated. It is Kaduna State today, it may be your state tomorrow. Remember Zamfara State and Sharia Law.

Please, find below, the "Religious Preaching (Regulation) Law," 2019 of Kaduna State. It is followed immediately by section 38 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, which deals with Religious Freedom. 

Features of the "Religious Preaching (Regulation Law" of 2019 of the Kaduna State
1. Preachers must be licensed.

2. Establishes the State Interfaith Religious Council as a 14-member charged with issuance of licences to religious preachers based on recommendations from the Local Government Interfaith Committee. This Council will have two members each representing the Christian and Muslim faiths, along with public servants and representatives of the police, the DSS, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and the State Vigilance Service.

3. The Interfaith Committee in every local government will be an 18-member body with powers to consider, screen and recommend to the State Interfaith Regulatory Council all applications for the grant of license to religious preachers. Membership will include five representatives each of the Christian and Muslim faiths, officials of the security agencies and two representatives of the traditional institution in that local government area. The Local Government Interfaith Committee may issue preaching permits for invited or sponsored preachers for the duration of the programme or event. It will also monitor compliance with the terms of the preaching licenses or permits that have been issued.

4. Defines a designated place of worship as:

a. “A building constructed with permission sought for an obtained from the Kaduna State Urban Development and Planning Agency (KASUPDA) for the purpose of religious worship; or

b. “A building or place for which temporary permission has been sought for and obtained from the Nigerian Police for the purpose of carrying out a religious programme or event.”

5. Punishes the following offences:

a. Religious recordings on electronic devices can only be played in private homes or vehicles; inside the entrance porch of homes or in a church, mosque or designated place of worship;

b. Religious recordings using abusive language against any person or religious organisation or religious leaders is prohibited;

c. Any person who publicly insults or seeks to incite contempt of any religion by making a false statement in such a manner as to be likely to lead to a breach f the peace shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not less than five years or with a fine or both;

d. Unlawful destruction, damage or desecration of any place of worship or any place held sacred by any person or class of persons will attract a sentence of not more than five years’ imprisonment or fine of not less than N100,000.

e. Disturbance of the performance of religious worship or religious ceremony attracts a sentence of two years’ imprisonment or N100,000 fine or both.

f. Insulting the religion of another person, committing indignity on a corpse or disturbing a funeral ceremony will fetch the culprit two years’ imprisonment, a fine of N100,000, or both.

Please, find below, the "Freedom of Religion" section 38(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

1. Every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, including the freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice, and observance.

That's section 38 (1)1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigerian Constitution as Amended. The spirit and letter of Mallam El'Rufais Religious Preaching (Regulation) Law, 2019 of Kaduna State is in every form imaginable inconsistent with the legislative intent and overall import of section 38 of the 1999 Constitution. This essay is a timely warning to all Nigerians. 

Mallam El'Rufai is setting a dangerous precedent. Your FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND THE RIGHTS TO SERVE YOUR GOD THE WAY YOU WANT IS UNDER THREAT. Please, free your mind of the noise factor on the Bill; it is a dummy Mr. El'Rufai is selling to the public to buy their approval.  Please, don't be fooled, section 45 of the 1999 Constitution as amended does not provide cover for what El'Rufai is doing here.

There is nowhere in a modern democracy where religious freedom and the rights to worship are regulated. 

Under Governor Kwankwaso, they started the rituals of destroying Beers and Alcoholic drinks in Kano State, without paying compensations to the affected merchants. And just a few months ago, they went on the rampage, destroying night clubs and arresting strippers in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

You may think you don't belong to the list of the victims above and, therefore, not directly impacted. Think again; the intolerance is snowballing. The Boko Haram scourge was once a Borno/Adama/Yobe problem, but it is now a nation-wide problem. It is Kaduna State today, it may be your state tomorrow. Remember Zamfara State and Sharia Law.