The Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) has described the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) Amendment Bill, recently passed by the National Assembly, awaiting the assent of the President, as contrary to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended which guarantees freedom of religion.
The position of CCN was contained in a statement signed by Rt. Rev. Evans Onyemara, Ph.D.
General Secretary, CCN, made available to Journalists on Saturday.
The CCN is therefore calling for the review of the Bill in order to make it conform to the country’s constitution.
The General Secretary wrote that, “The CCN received with concern the passage of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, by the Senate. The proposed legislation prescribes a ₦100,000 fine for traffic light violations and a ₦50,000 fine for hawking, trading, or preaching in commercial buses.”
According to him,”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.”
He added that, “However, the Council is deeply concerned about the provision prohibiting preaching in commercial buses. 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.”
Evans Oyemara stated that, “For decades, commercial buses have served as places where many Christians have shared brief messages of hope, repentance, encouragement, and prayer with willing listeners. Any law that seeks to restrict such peaceful religious expression must be carefully scrutinized to ensure that it does not erode constitutional freedoms or create the perception that Christian evangelism is being unfairly restricted.”
The CCN Secretary General added that, “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.”
According to him, “Poverty should not be criminalised. Where public safety requires restrictions, government should consider humane alternatives such as designated trading areas, appropriate age restrictions, and sustainable economic empowerment programmes rather than punitive sanctions.”
The Christian Council of Nigeria therefore appealed to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Assembly, and relevant stakeholders to engage in wider consultations before the proposed amendment becomes law.
He opined that, “Such dialogue should involve faith based organisations, civil society groups, transport unions, road safety experts, and representatives of vulnerable communities.”
“Nigeria needs laws that are firm yet compassionate, laws that protect lives without placing unbearable burdens on citizens who are already struggling to survive,” he added.
The Christian Council of Nigeria believes that legislation should unite rather than divide, protect rather than alienate, and promote both public safety and fundamental human rights.
He concluded that,”As the moral voice of the nation, the Council remains committed to supporting policies that uphold justice, compassion, religious liberty, and the dignity of every Nigerian.”
