The Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) has called on President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to review controversial provisions of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, warning that aspects of the proposed legislation could infringe on Nigerians’ constitutional rights and worsen the plight of vulnerable citizens.
The council expressed particular concern over a provision in the bill prescribing a ₦50,000 fine for hawking, trading or preaching in commercial buses, arguing that placing Christian evangelism in the same category as commercial activities raises serious constitutional and human rights concerns.
In a statement issued on Friday and signed by its General Secretary, Rt. Rev. Evans Onyemara, the Christian body said although it supports measures aimed at improving road safety, the legislation should not come at the expense of constitutionally guaranteed freedoms.
“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,” the statement said.
The Senate recently passed the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which proposes a ₦100,000 fine for motorists who violate traffic lights and a ₦50,000 fine for anyone caught hawking, trading or preaching in commercial buses.
Reacting to the development, the CCN said it was “deeply concerned” about the inclusion of preaching among the prohibited activities.
“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,” Onyemara said.
According to the council, commercial buses have for decades served as spaces where Christians share brief messages of hope, repentance, encouragement and prayers with willing passengers, insisting that any attempt to restrict such activities must undergo careful constitutional scrutiny.
“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 statement added.