MUSLIM RIGHTS
CONCERN (MURIC)
هيئة حقوق المسلمين
Motto: Dialogue,
Not Violence
20th July,
2026
PRESS RELEASE:
OPPOSITION TO BUS-PREACHING BILL EXPOSES SELFISH AGENDA OF
CHRISTIAN LEADERS - MURIC
An Islamic human
rights group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has accused Christian leaders
in Nigeria of pursuing a selfish agenda for opposing the FRSC bill banning
preaching inside buses.
In a statement
issued by the Executive Director of the civil liberties group, Professor Ishaq
Akintola, on Monday, 20th July, 2026, MURIC expressed shock and disbelief over
the opposition of Christian leaders to the proposed bill.
The group described
Christian opposition to the bill as selfish, myopic and parochial. MURIC urged
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ignore Christian leaders who oppose the bill
prohibiting bus preaching by signing the bill into law.
The group explains
further:
"Two Christian
organisations have opposed the proposed amendment to the Federal Road Safety
Corps Bill (FRSC bill) which seeks to criminalise preaching in commercial
vehicles. The Christian bodies are the Christian Council of Nigeria and the
Organisation of African Instituted Churches (https://punchng.com/christian-bodies-reject-planned-ban-on-bus-preaching/).
"We are shocked to our marrows that any civilised person
(let alone Christian leaders) will oppose an initiative designed to protect
Nigerians from road accidents and religious crisis. This opposition is
motivated by selfishness, myopism and parochialism.
"It is strange
to see that opposition to this progressive idea has come from churches which,
ceteris paribus, are full of highly educated people who are supposed to know
better. It is another proof that Nigeria is full of educated illiterates.
"Christian
leaders know that it is wrong to preach inside commercial buses but they will
stop at nothing to achieve their selfish agenda of getting more converts. It is
part of Christian aggressive proselitisation and firebrand evangelism.
"It confirms
our long-standing suspicion that everything is acceptable to Christian leaders,
fair or foul. What they cannot get by the straight, they will take by the
bend.
Is it not a shame
that Christian bodies will collectively oppose orderliness and brazenly
embolden chaos? Only anarchists are expected to oppose a bill aimed at stopping
carnage on the roads.
"MURIC calls out human rights lawyers and all Nigerians of
social conscience to speak up on this matter. They must tell us if preaching
inside the bus is more important than protecting the lives of Nigerians and
preserving their soberness, their dignity and their humanity. This is about
decency in human society. It is not about religion.
"Nobody is allowed to preach inside buses in saner climes.
Where in America can we see preachers inside the bus? Nobody will try this
inside buses, trams, tubes or trolleys in London, Paris or Frankfurt.
"Under the
British Public Order Act 1986, if a street or bus preacher’s conduct causes
significant distress, uses inflammatory language, or provokes an angry public
response, he can be arrested or moved along for causing a breach of the peace.
"That was why
a Nigerian pastor was thrown off a London bus on 3rd December, 2015 for
preaching inside the bus (https://neusroom.com/video-annoying-nigerian-pastor-thrown-off-london-bus-preaching-word-life/).
"On 24th
February, 2019, another Nigerian Christian was arrested in London for public
disturbance (for preaching on the street https://www.legit.ng/1223920-nigerian-preacher-arrested-public-disturbance.html).
"We also have these laws in Nigeria but implementation is
the problem. That is why things are not working in our society. We lack respect
for social decorum. We disregard rules and regulations.
"We push and struggle instead of joining the queue. We
throw thrash on the street and into the gutters instead of using the bins.
Funny enough, we pray to God to protect us from flood! The churches opposing
this bill will also pray for you against road accidents. It is acrobatic
religiousity and gymnastic spirituality. Who did this to Nigeria?
"The churches
and mosques are enough for us to preach. Why must buses be turned into houses
of God? Why? The reason is not far-fetched.
"Christian
leaders want millions of converts for material gains, not to serve God. The
higher the number converted to Christianity the higher the income through
tithes paid by members (Malachi 3:10). Of course it also implies the
richer the leadership the higher the number of private jets owned by church
leaders even though this does not reflect in the economic and social condition
of members.
"Christian
leaders aim at converting every Muslim in Nigeria to Christianity. It is an
open secret that they have nursed a vision of Nigeria for Jesus for decades.
Bus preaching by Nigerian Christians was therefore institutionalised. It was
seen as normal.
"In this
regard, one of the methods used to achieve that objective is by trapping
Muslims in public transports with Christian messages. They know that not less
than 95% Nigerians use public transport. It is an effective means of spreading
hot gospel but it is selfish and anachronistic.
"Preaching inside the bus is a money spinner for Christian
leaders because it attracts converts, swells the tithes and builds more
billionaire pastors. This explains their fury over the bill prohibiting
bus-preaching which has already been approved and awaiting the president's
assent (https://guardian.ng/news/senate-passes-bill-proposing-%E2%82%A650000-fine-for-preaching-hawking-in-commercial-buses/).
"Christian
leaders will oppose anything that threatens their agenda of proliferation of
churches and multiplication of members. That is why they oppose the FRSC bill
on bus preaching.
"We know they
will not tell the true story when they report this to America. They are most
likely to tell the White House that Christians are not being allowed to preach
in Nigeria.
"MURIC urges President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ignore
Christian leaders who oppose the bill prohibiting bus preaching. We appeal to
Mr. President to sign the bill into law.
"To Nigerian
Christian leaders we bring the words of Isaiah: 'Woe to those who call evil
good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put
bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.'
"Isaiah 5:20
is a warning against moral perversion and a strong prophetic rebuke against a
society that distorts truth and blurs the lines between right and wrong. The
question is: Is it worth the while?"
#ChristianLeaders
#FRSCBill
#EyesOnTheTithe
#LetTheBillBe
#SaveNigerianLives
Professor Ishaq
Akintola,
Founder/Executive
Director,
Muslim Rights
Concern (MURIC).
