KADUNA RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY

<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px;"> CAN Meets Kaduna Govt. Over Preaching Regulatory Bil</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px;"> <img src="https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/534125_611346069013872_3182470152856121035_n.jpg?oh=88bcc6ef289f8a8624a431b5d810259a&oe=579345ED" style="background-color: transparent;" /></div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;"> The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna State on Wednesday met with the State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over the proposed Religious Preaching Regulatory Bill that is presently before the State House of Assembly for passage.</div> <div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;"> The clergymen, led by their Chairman, Bishop George Dodo, met with the Governor, who was represented by his deputy, Bala Bantex, on Wednesday in Kaduna State, northwest Nigeria.</div> <div class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"> <div style="margin-bottom: 6px;"> The Deputy Governor explained that the Religious Preaching Bill was only aimed to curb religious extremism and hate speeches that could trigger religious violence in the state.</div> <div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;"> He informed the Christian delegation that government has a duty to ensure that religious violence no longer threatens the relative peace being enjoyed by citizens of the state.</div> <div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;"> Mr Bantex added that the Kaduna State Government is committed to ensure that religious activities are practiced in a safe and secure climate.</div> <div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;"> He said that was the first time that the law is passing through a democratic process, stressing that the proposed amendment was a deliberate decision by the government to subject the law to public scrutiny, rather than to just enforce the provisions of the edict as passed since 1984.</div> <div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;"> The Deputy Governor also explained that there was nothing in the Bill that suggests any effort to abolish, stop or derogate the freedom of religion in the state.</div> <div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;"> Rather, he clarified that the Bill merely seeks to ensure that religious preaching and activities in Kaduna State were conducted in ways that do not threaten public order, public safety, and to protect the rights and freedom of other persons.</div> <div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;"> In his remark, Bishop Dodo commended Governor El-Rufai for conveying the meeting, saying that CAN would submit its position to the House of Assembly and the State Executive Council during the public hearing on the Bill.</div> <div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;"> A member of the delegation and Chairman of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Reverend Femi Ehimidu, raised an alarm that some people who parade themselves as government officials were already seeing out religious practice licence forms to some clergymen at the cost of N4,000.</div> <div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;"> He also identified some grey areas in the Bill, which he said infringed on the right of the people such as obtaining licence from government before preaching.</div> <div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;"> The meeting followed speculations from some sections of the public that the bill, if passed into law, would gauge the freedom of worship and association as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.</div> </div>

KADUNA RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY

CAN Meets Kaduna Govt. Over Preaching Regulatory Bil The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna State on Wednesda...

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