President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Francis Wale Oke, has vowed that Christians will continue preaching inside commercial buses despite the restriction under Nigeria’s road traffic laws.
He challenged the National Assembly and law enforcement agencies to prepare enough prisons to accommodate millions of Christians if the provision is enforced.
“Make all the stadiums in Nigeria become prisons; if you want to enforce that law, we are coming. We will break that law. Our Master told us to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature. You sit somewhere there, and you are saying we shouldn’t preach in buses. We will preach in buses! We will preach everywhere! Because you are making evil decrees. We will rather obey God than man,” he said.
The cleric accused lawmakers of focusing on religious preaching instead of tackling insecurity and violent crimes across the country.
“You don’t go after killers; you are not going after those beheading; you are not going after rapists; you are not going after kidnappers. You are not going after bandits who are unlawfully carrying arms. You are going after us who are preaching the message of peace that changes people’s lives. We wouldn’t listen to you. You are not God!
“Those promoting that law, God will cut them off. We will rain curses upon you and your family unless you repent. This law, we will break it,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Senate last week clarified that the provision against preaching, hawking and trading inside commercial vehicles was not newly introduced by the ongoing amendment to the Federal Road Safety Commission Act.
It said the offences had existed under the FRSC Act since 2007 and were aimed at preventing distractions and protecting commuters.
The Senate also maintained that the provision does not prohibit preaching on streets or in other public places.
