Governor Nasir El-Rufai Sets Up Council To Regulate Christian, Islamic Preaching In Kaduna

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Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has sworn into office members of Interfaith Preaching Regulatory Council to regulate activities of religious preaching in the state.

Governor Nasir El-Rufai while inaugurating the Interfaith Preaching Regulatory Council at Government House in Kaduna state yesterday, said since the Preaching Law was enacted in 1984 during the administration of Air Vice Marshall Usman Muazu, many succeeding military governors amended the edict to vary the sanctions imposed on offenders but no government ever since the enactment of the law has implemented the provisions of the law faithfully.

Governor Nasir El-Rufai said his government decided in 2016 to review and amend the law, adding, his government is determined to stamp out negative religious practice in the state.

“Most of the residents of Kaduna State are very religious, like other Nigerians.

“But Kaduna State is unfortunately one of the states in the country with a sad history of religious clashes.

“The personal exercise of faith and the better conduct and character that spirituality promotes helps society to progress.

“But religion has unfortunately been weaponized so much that something that should bring God’s creatures closer together in a common awareness of mortal frailties has become a device to question the right of some of God’s creatures to even exist at all, let alone practice their faith or live wherever they wish.

“It was in 1984 that the government of Air Vice Marshall Usman Muazu enacted the Religious Preaching Edict to address this matter. Subsequent military governors amended the edict to vary the penalty imposed for violations of its provisions.

“This is a law that has always been in the statute book of Kaduna State but it has not been implemented faithfully. We decided in 2016 to review this edict and subject a revised law to the scrutiny of an elected legislature for the first time. We have now a religious preaching law, and we are determined to do our best to help stamp out the poison from the negative practice of religion”, Governor Nasir El-Rufai said.

He also said: “Religion is a relationship with God, not a bargaining tool for economic or political favours, and certainly not an excuse for murder, arson, destruction of property and other violent crimes against people who worship and pray differently”.

Governor Nasir El-Rufai said that the pioneer members of the Interfaith Preaching Regulatory Council have important task of ensuring that those that are leaders of faith and people that preach do not set people against each other.

He added that the pioneer council members must ensur that faith or religion is not practiced in ways that deliberately and consistently inconvenience others.