Borno’s new law: Islamic preachers risk 10-year jail term

A copy of the bill obtained from the House, indicates that the it seeks to regulate Islamic preaching in the state in order to curb religious extremism. According to section 18 (f), all Islamic preachers must obtain licence before engaging in any form of preaching. It also stipulates that Islamic preachers who preach or interpret […]

A copy of the bill obtained from the House, indicates that the it seeks to regulate Islamic preaching in the state in order to curb religious extremism. According to section 18 (f), all Islamic preachers must obtain licence before engaging in any form of preaching. It also stipulates that Islamic preachers who preach or interpret any Islamic text without license/permit; use unapproved poetry, literature or song; or preach in contravention to stipulations in the licence shall be liable to imprisonment for six months or a fine of N50,000. The proposed law stipulates both penalties for first time offenders while subsequent offenders would be entitled to an imprisonment of one year without an option of fine as contained in section 19 (1 and 2).

The Bill also proposes the establishment of an Islamic Religious Preaching Board comprising clerics, public administrators, police officers and men of the state security service. While preaching licenses shall be issued by Emirate Councils to persons fit for such issuance upon the recommendations of the Board, the law shall however, not apply to Imams of Friday mosque congregations or Imams who lead congregational prayers during Islamic festivals.

Kanem Trust reports that the new law came up following the July, 2009 Boko Haram crises where an Islamic sect which preached against western education ended up having bloody clashes with security officials for days in Maiduguri.