The President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Wale Oke, has strongly criticised the Nigerian Senate over a proposed amendment to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Act that would penalise preaching, hawking and trading inside commercial buses.
The Senate recently passed the redrafted Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which introduces penalties for several road and transit-related offences. Among its provisions is a proposed ₦50,000 fine for individuals who trade, hawk or preach to passengers in commercial vehicles.
The bill is yet to become law and is currently awaiting President Bola Tinubu’s assent.
Speaking during a church service, Bishop Oke condemned the proposed provision, saying Christians would continue to preach regardless of the legislation.
“Make all the stadiums in Nigeria become prisons; if you want to enforce that law, we are coming. We will break that law. Our Master told us to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”
He added:
“We will preach in buses! We will preach everywhere! Because you are making evil decrees. We will rather obey God than man.”
The cleric questioned the government’s priorities, arguing that security challenges such as banditry, kidnapping, rape and violent crime deserved greater attention than regulating religious preaching on public transport.
“You don’t go after killers, kidnappers, bandits or those unlawfully carrying arms. Instead, you are going after those preaching a message of peace that changes lives. We wouldn’t listen to you. You are not God.”
Bishop Oke also criticised the lawmakers behind the bill, warning that they should reconsider the proposal.
The proposed legislation has generated debate, with supporters arguing it is intended to reduce distractions and improve safety in commercial vehicles, while critics contend that it could infringe on freedoms of expression and religion.
The bill will only become law if it is signed by the President. Until then, the proposed penalties are not yet in force.