The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, has vowed that its members will continue preaching in commercial buses despite a proposed amendment to road traffic laws seeking to impose a ₦50,000 fine on offenders.
PFN President, Bishop Wale Oke, made the position known on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday while reacting to the controversy surrounding the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The proposed legislation seeks to impose penalties on people convicted of hawking, trading or preaching inside commercial vehicles.
Oke, however, insisted that Christians would not abandon evangelism because of the proposed law.
“We will preach on buses. If they want to imprison us, let them come and arrest us. We are coming. We will preach in buses; they cannot stop us,” he said.
The PFN president argued that restricting public preaching would infringe on the constitutional right of Christians to freely propagate their faith.
He said believers would continue to obey what they consider a divine mandate, regardless of any legal restrictions.
Reaffirming his earlier comments in a viral video, Oke said Christians would resist any attempt to stop public evangelism.
“Make all the stadiums in Nigeria become prisons if you want to enforce that law. We are coming. We will preach inside buses; we will preach everywhere,” the cleric said.
Oke further described the proposed provision as a targeted attack on Christians rather than a genuine measure aimed at improving public safety.
He maintained that Nigeria is a multi-faith country and should remain open to the expression of different religious beliefs.
The controversy followed public concern over provisions in the proposed amendment relating to preaching and hawking in commercial vehicles.
However, the Senate has clarified that the bill does not introduce a new ban on preaching or hawking in buses.
The lawmakers explained that the provision has existed since the enactment of the FRSC Establishment Act of 2007, where it appeared as Item 36 of the Second Schedule, before being retained as Item 49 in the proposed amendment.
The Senate also cited Regulation 220 of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2012, saying the restriction is already contained in existing traffic laws.
It rejected claims that the proposed legislation seeks to prohibit street preaching or restrict religious activities in public spaces, stressing that the measure is focused on the safety of commuters and other road users.
The upper chamber also clarified that the amendment bill was not sponsored by Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele.
According to the Senate, the bill originated from the House of Representatives and is currently before the upper chamber for concurrence.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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