A Christian body, the Organisation of African Instituted Churches, Nigeria region, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu not to sign a proposed amendment to the Federal Road Safety Commission Act, arguing that provisions treating preaching in commercial vehicles as a punishable offense threaten Nigerians’ constitutional rights.

In a statement from its President, Israel Akinadewo, the group said the bill’s language appears to place preaching in the same category as hawking and other prohibited activities on commercial vehicles, which it described as an inappropriate comparison.

The association said equating peaceful religious expression with commercial hawking is insensitive and conflicts with constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and expression. It said the association recognizes the need for order and safety on Nigerian roads but maintains that preaching is a protected form of expression that should not be treated as a criminal or commercial act.

The group said preaching aboard commercial vehicles has long served as a legitimate channel for spreading messages of faith, hope, morality and peaceful coexistence across the country, warning that criminalizing it could amount to an unwarranted restriction on citizens’ rights.

The organisation formally asked the president not to assent to the bill in its current form and called on the National Assembly to revisit the relevant provisions through broader consultation with religious bodies, civil society groups and other stakeholders, so that road safety goals can be met without undermining constitutional freedoms.

The group reaffirmed its support for the rule of law and responsible religious practice, encouraging preachers to conduct evangelism in ways that respect public order, while urging government to safeguard the constitutional freedoms that underpin Nigeria’s democracy.

The Senate had proposed a 50,000 naira fine for anyone convicted of hawking, trading or preaching inside commercial vehicles as part of a broader effort to strengthen road safety enforcement. The bill, which now awaits presidential assent, would also impose a 50,000 naira fine, six months imprisonment or both on drivers who refuse to cooperate with roadside breath tests conducted by road safety officials on reasonable suspicion. The amendment forms part of a wider review of the Federal Road Safety Commission Act aimed at improving compliance with traffic rules and reducing road crashes.