South-West CAN urges Tinubu to withhold assent to FRSC amendment bill

Following the proposed amendment to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Bill, which seeks to criminalise preaching in commercial vehicles, the South-West chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has urged President Bola Tinubu to withhold assent to the legislation, describing the provision as a threat to constitutional rights and religious freedom.

This CAN position was contained in a statement signed by the Chairman of South-West CAN, Bishop Dr. Barnabas Akinsanya, who said the body will continue to support every genuine effort by the Federal Government to improve road safety and reduce avoidable road crashes, but insisted that such measures must not come at the expense of citizens’ fundamental rights and livelihoods.

Expressing concern over provisions of the proposed Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, particularly those seeking to sanction preaching and prohibit hawking in commercial vehicles, the association said the government must strike a balance between ensuring public safety and protecting the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution.

Akinsanya maintained that any law capable of restricting such rights should be carefully scrutinised to ensure it is necessary, proportionate and consistent with constitutional principles.

According to the Chairman of the Christian body, a blanket prohibition on religious preaching in commercial vehicles, without clear evidence that it poses a direct threat to public safety, could be viewed as an unnecessary limitation on religious liberty and may generate avoidable public tension.

The statement read that “We believe that any legislation capable of restricting these rights should be carefully examined to ensure that it is necessary, proportionate, and consistent with constitutional principles.

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“A blanket prohibition on religious preaching, without clear evidence that it constitutes a direct threat to public safety, may create the impression of an unnecessary limitation on religious liberty and could generate avoidable public tension.”

CAN also faulted the proposed ban on hawking in commercial buses, noting that many Nigerians rely on legitimate informal trading to earn a living amid prevailing economic challenges.

“Many Nigerians depend on legitimate informal trading for their daily survival. Rather than adopting measures that may further worsen economic hardship, government should prioritise policies that create employment opportunities, reduce poverty, improve public transportation, strengthen security, and enhance the welfare of citizens,” he said.

The association urged the Federal Government to prioritise policies that create jobs, reduce poverty, improve public transportation, strengthen security and enhance citizens’ welfare instead of introducing measures that could worsen economic hardship.

The South-West CAN Chairman, however, appealed to President Tinubu to withhold assent to the bill in its current form and encourage wider consultations with religious bodies, civil society organisations, legal experts, transport unions and road safety professionals to produce legislation that promotes road safety without undermining constitutional freedoms.

“Nigeria needs laws that unite rather than divide, protect lives without unnecessarily restricting freedoms, and strengthen public confidence in democratic governance,” the statement added.