CAN opposes Commercial vehicle preaching ban…

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), South-West Zone, has opposed a proposed provision in the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to prohibit preaching inside commercial vehicles, warning that it could infringe on citizens’ constitutional rights.

Key Highlights

• The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), South-West Zone has opposed a provision in the FRSC Amendment Bill, 2026 that seeks to ban preaching in commercial vehicles.
• The bill proposes a ₦50,000 fine for anyone caught hawking, trading, or preaching inside commercial vehicles.
• It also recommends a ₦50,000 fine, six months’ imprisonment, or both for motorists who refuse roadside breath tests conducted by FRSC officers on reasonable suspicion.
• CAN argued that the proposed ban could violate the constitutional rights to freedom of religion, expression, and conscience.
• The association maintained that any law restricting fundamental rights must be necessary, proportionate, and consistent with the Nigerian Constitution.

The bill, recently passed by the Senate, proposes a ₦50,000 fine for anyone found guilty of hawking, trading, or preaching in commercial vehicles.

It also recommends a ₦50,000 fine, six months’ imprisonment, or both for motorists who refuse to cooperate with FRSC officials during roadside breath tests conducted on reasonable suspicion.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the South-West Chairman of CAN, Bishop Barnabas Akinsanya, acknowledged the federal government’s efforts to improve road safety but expressed concern that parts of the proposed law could undermine the constitutional rights to freedom of religion, expression, and conscience.

According to CAN, while the government has a responsibility to protect lives on the nation’s roads, any legislation that limits fundamental rights must be carefully scrutinised to ensure it is necessary, proportionate, and in line with the Nigerian Constitution.

The association argued that banning religious preaching in commercial buses without clear evidence that it poses a threat to public safety could be viewed as an unnecessary restriction on religious freedom and may generate avoidable public tension.

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CAN also criticised the proposed ban on hawking in commercial vehicles, noting that many Nigerians rely on informal trading for their daily livelihood.

The group urged the government to focus on creating jobs, reducing poverty, improving public transportation, strengthening security, and enhancing citizens’ welfare instead of introducing measures that could worsen economic hardship.

The Christian body appealed to Tinubu to withhold assent to the bill in its current form and encourage broader consultations involving religious organisations, civil society groups, legal experts, transport unions, and road safety professionals.

According to CAN, such engagement would help produce legislation that promotes road safety while safeguarding the constitutional rights and dignity of Nigerians.

The association reaffirmed its commitment to working with the government in advancing justice, peace, constitutional democracy, and national development, stressing that Nigeria needs laws that protect lives without unnecessarily restricting fundamental freedoms.