President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Francis Wale Oke, has declared that Christians will not stop preaching in commercial buses despite existing provisions in Nigeria’s road traffic laws restricting the practice.
Speaking in a video that surfaced online on Monday, the cleric urged Christians to continue evangelising in buses and taxis, insisting that no government directive could override what he described as Christ’s command to preach the gospel.
Oke described the restriction as an unjust law and challenged authorities to prepare enough prison space if they intended to arrest Christians for preaching in public transport.
“We will break that law because our master told us to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
“You sit somewhere there and say we should not preach in buses? We will preach in buses, and we will preach everywhere.”
The PFN president, who said the fellowship represents more than 65 million Christians, encouraged members to continue sharing the gospel in commercial vehicles regardless of the restriction.
“I lead over 65 million people. Everybody, go into every taxi, go into every bus and preach.
“Let them arrest us and turn the National Stadium into a prison. Let them build more prisons.”
Oke also criticised lawmakers and security agencies, arguing that attention should be focused on tackling violent crimes such as kidnapping, banditry and murder instead of pursuing people preaching the gospel.
“You don’t go after k!llers, those beheading people, rapists, kidnappers and bandits unlawfully carrying arms, but you are going after us preaching the gospel of peace.
“We won’t listen to you. You are not God. You are there for a tenure.”
He further warned that Christians would openly resist any attempt to enforce the restriction through arrests.
“Bring it on and see how you will imprison 65 million people.”
The Senate had earlier explained that the ban on preaching, hawking and trading inside commercial vehicles was not introduced by the current amendment to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Act. According to the Senate, the provision has been part of the law since 2007 and is intended to reduce distractions and improve passenger safety. It also clarified that the law does not prevent religious preaching on streets or in other public places.
