The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has vowed that Christians will not stop preaching the gospel in commercial buses, despite a legislative move seeking to enforce a ban on the practice.
The PFN President, Bishop Wale Oke, made the declaration during a sermon on Sunday, where he strongly criticized the National Assembly and declared that members of the fellowship would resist any attempt to restrict evangelism.
“We will preach in buses. We will preach everywhere. Because you are making evil decrees, we will rather obey God than man,” Bishop Oke declared, insisting that soul-winning remains an irrevocable divine mandate.
The PFN leader accused lawmakers of misplaced priorities, arguing that the legislature is focusing its energy on regulating religious speech while failing to address the worsening security crisis across the nation.
He questioned why the government is prioritizing the restriction of preachers over tackling the activities of bandits, kidnappers, terrorists, and rapists who continue to terrorize citizens.
“Why are killers, kidnappers, bandits, and rapists not receiving this level of legislative urgency?” Oke queried, warning that the Christian community would not comply with the proposed restrictions.
The controversy stems from public reaction to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Establishment Act Amendment Bill, 2026. The bill seeks to prohibit preaching, hawking, and trading inside commercial vehicles, proposing a ₦50,000 fine for violators.
However, the Senate has clarified that the restriction is not a new creation of the 2026 amendment.
In a statement issued by the Directorate of Media and Public Affairs in the Office of the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the upper legislative chamber explained that the ban on passenger distraction—including preaching and hawking—has been part of the existing FRSC Act and the National Road Traffic Regulations since 2007.
The Senate maintained that the provision is strictly a safety measure designed to prevent accidents by minimizing distractions inside commercial vehicles.
Despite the Senate’s explanation, opposition to the bill continues to mount. Other prominent Christian bodies, including the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC), have joined the PFN in calling for an immediate review of the provision.
Church leaders argue that the ban infringes on the constitutional right to freedom of worship and expression.
As the bill progresses through the legislative process, the brewing standoff between the federal government and Christian organizations highlights the delicate balance between public safety regulations and religious freedoms in Nigeria.
