Law restricting preaching in buses not a new provision — Bamidele

The Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has clarified that the provision restricting preaching and hawking inside commercial vehicles is not a new law, but an existing regulation that has been in place since 2007.

Clarifying the proposed amendments in the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Act No. 22, 2007, Bamidele noted that the restriction has long been recognized under Section 10(4) of the 2007 Act and Regulation 220 of the National Road Traffic Regulations (NRTR) 2012.

In a statement issued on Monday through the Directorate of Media and Public Affairs in his office, the Senate Leader explained that the provision originally listed as Item 36 in the Second Schedule of the 2007 Act has merely been reclassified as Item 49 in the current amendment bill.

He emphasized that the proposed legislation does not ban street preaching or target religious practice, but instead focuses strictly on passenger safety and minimizing driver distractions in transit.

“Pursuant to Section 10(4) of the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment) Act, 2007, and Regulation 220 of the National Road Traffic Regulations (NRTR) 2012, preaching and hawking in a commercial vehicle are offences. These offences have been part of the Act long before the current amendment.”

“Entrenched as Item 36 in the Second Schedule of the Act, preaching and hawking in commercial vehicles are not new provisions in our legal system. They have been part of the Act since 2007, though listed as Item 49 in the current Second Schedule,” Bamidele stated.

Bamidele further debunked claims that the bill was his personal initiative, clarifying that it is a concurrence bill passed by the House of Representatives that requires Senate approval under the 1999 Constitution to become law.

He reassured the public that the legislative process remains open, urging concerned stakeholders and religious groups to submit their feedback to the appropriate legislative committees before the final passage of the bill.