By Nathaniel Zaccheaus, Abuja
The Senate on Monday dismissed widespread claims that the ongoing amendment to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Establishment Act seeks to outlaw street preaching, insisting that the controversial provision being debated has been part of Nigeria’s traffic laws for nearly two decades.
The upper chamber explained that the offence of preaching and hawking in commercial vehicles was introduced under the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment) Act, 2007, and was therefore not a fresh provision contained in the current amendment bill before the National Assembly.
The clarification followed public reactions and concerns generated by reports suggesting that the proposed amendment would criminalise public preaching across the country.
In a statement issued by the Directorate of Media and Public Affairs in the Office of the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate described such claims as misleading, stressing that the amendment was aimed solely at improving road safety.
According to the statement, Section 10(4) of the FRSC (Establishment) Act, 2007, and Regulation 220 of the National Road Traffic Regulations (NRTR), 2012, already recognise preaching and hawking inside commercial vehicles as traffic offences.
It noted that the provision, previously listed as Item 36 of the Second Schedule to the Act, has merely been renumbered as Item 49 in the ongoing amendment without any substantive change.
“The offences have been part of the Act before the current amendment. Entrenched as Item 36 in the Second Schedule of the Act, preaching and hawking in a commercial vehicle are not new provisions in our legal system.
The provisions have been part of the Act as far back as 2007. However, it is now listed as Item 49 in the Second Schedule of the Act,” the statement said
The Senate maintained that the law targets activities capable of distracting drivers and compromising the safety of passengers and other road users, and should not be interpreted as an attack on religious freedom.
“The Bill, therefore, does not outlaw preaching on the streets as some interests have claimed in different fora. It is about the safety of commuters and other road users and not intended to undermine any religious activity in the public space,” it added.
The Senate also corrected reports linking the amendment bill to the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, saying he neither initiated nor sponsored the legislation.
It explained that the bill originated from the House of Representatives and was transmitted to the Senate for concurrence, in line with constitutional procedures governing the passage of legislation.
It read, “The Bill is not an initiative of the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele. Rather, it is a concurrence bill first amended by the House of Representatives.
“As required by the 1999 Constitution, the Bill requires the concurrence of the Senate before it can become effective.”
The Senate urged Nigerians to allow the legislative process to run its course, assuring that the amendment is still undergoing consideration and that stakeholders remain free to submit their observations and recommendations before its final passage.
It reiterated its commitment to an open and participatory lawmaking process, emphasizing that no aspect of the bill is intended to infringe on the constitutional rights of Nigerians or restrict lawful religious activities.
The clarification is expected to calm growing public anxiety over the amendment, which had sparked intense debate on social media and among religious organisations over fears that it sought to criminalise public evangelism.
The Senate, however, insisted that the legislation merely retains an existing road safety provision designed to protect commuters and ensure safer highways across the country.
