Gov Bago’s ‘Submit Sermon for Approval’ Order Sparks Outrage in Niger State
By Joseph Iyaji | Akahi News
Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, has come under intense criticism after reports emerged that he directed religious preachers across the state to submit their sermons for government approval before delivering them to their congregations.
Akahi News gathered from Daily Post that the directive has provoked strong reactions, with human rights lawyer, Maduabuchi Idam, describing it as an attempt to gag free speech and police religion in a state already grappling with insecurity challenges.
“An Attempt to Gag Free Speech” – Lawyer
In a statement made available to journalists, Idam condemned the governor’s decision, warning that such a move would only undermine citizens’ constitutional rights to freedom of expression and freedom of religion.
According to him, “The Governor of Niger State asking clerics to submit their sermons for approval before they are preached to the congregation is the highest attempt, in recent times, to gag free speech and by extension police religion.”
The activist lawyer expressed disappointment that a state ravaged by armed banditry and frequent attacks on rural communities would prioritise sermon vetting over intelligence gathering and concrete security strategies.
Insecurity Versus Government Priorities
Idam cited the plight of residents in Chiroro Local Government Area, where bandit attacks have left communities at the mercy of criminals.
He noted that locals allegedly pay “rent” to bandits to avoid being killed or kidnapped, describing the state government’s focus on sermon approvals as misplaced.
“To think that a Governor in a state like Niger, ravaged by insecurity, is not preoccupied with intelligence gathering and strategic efforts on reclaiming all local governments under siege by bandits within the state— is a big concern about what the priorities of some Nigerian leaders are,” he lamented.
Calls for Security, Not Sermon Vetting
Idam urged Governor Bago to channel the state’s energy and resources towards restoring security, reclaiming territories overrun by bandits, and ensuring that displaced residents return to their homes safely rather than “monitoring the content of every sermon preached in religious centres.”
Critics have also warned that the directive, if implemented, could fuel religious tension and invite widespread resistance from clerics who view it as an infringement on their spiritual and civil liberties.
Growing Concerns Over Rights and Governance
With Niger State battling insecurity on multiple fronts, many observers say the government’s priorities must shift toward proactive intelligence gathering, community-based policing, and dialogue with affected communities rather than policies that stifle voices in religious spaces.
As of press time, Governor Umar Bago has yet to issue a detailed response to the backlash over his directive.
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