Kaduna: Rethink before you regulate religious activities in the state - Adamawa cleric warns el-Rufai

                                  Governor Nasir el-Rufai

The Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Yola, Reverend Marcus Amsani Ibrahim, has warned Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State to rethink pushing for the legislation seeking to regulate religious activities in the state, except he wants to incur the wrath of God.

The cleric, who spoke with our correspondent on Tuesday when interviewed over the proposed Religious Preaching Bill before the Kaduna House of Assembly, said the bill when passed into law is likely to have a backlash on religious activities, particularly the Christian gospel.

Bishop Marcus said, because of the discrimination which might be encountered in the issuance of the license, the bill could end up stifling the gospel of Christ.

He, therefore, stated that El-Rufai risked bringing doom on himself and the state.

He said the government should be bold enough to deal with any individual or preacher, found wanting instead of bringing a law that will have to make all preachers to obtain a license.

“The bill is out to stifle the gospel of Christ because in the end how many Christians will be given the license to preach.

“This is because in the issuance of the license there might be discrimination,” Bishop Marcus said.

Querying why the government should contemplate to bring such a piece legislation, the cleric, however, speculated that it might have caused by the recent El- Zakzaky issue.

“Maybe there are preachers who will preach insulting and provocative messages, maybe that is why they are doing it” the Cleric said.

He, however, warned that whatever could have been the motive behind the bill, nobody can give God rules.

“Let me tell you any kingdom that wants to legislate on religion, that kingdom will not stand.

He added, “We are not preaching doom on anybody but one thing I know, whosoever that wants to stop the gospel then is bringing doom to himself”.

Bishop Peter Makanto, who equally condemned the bill, charged the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to ensure it takes up the issue with the Kaduna state governor.

He said it was now up to CAN to raise an alarm and pile pressure on Kaduna state government to drop the proposed religious preaching bill in the interest of peaceful coexistence.