JNI, Shiites differ on Kaduna religious law
Jamatul Nasirul Islam (JNI) and the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), known as Shiites, have disagreed on the passage of the Religious Preaching Regulation law by Kaduna State House of Assembly.
Three years after the religious bill was censured by different religious bodies and individuals, the Assembly eventually passed the bill last Friday for public hearing and signing into law by Governor Nasir el-Rufai.The bill aims to regulate religious preaching in the state, with a view to promoting religious harmony and peaceful co-existence among the residents.A local government inter-faith committee has been established in each of the 23 councils of the state to consider and recommend to the state inter-faith regulation council all applications for licence to preachers, as well as screen and recommend preachers, among other functions.

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The supplementary provision in the bill also explains that all gadgets containing religious recordings from accredited preachers may be played inside a private dwelling unit or vehicle, entrance porch (zaure), church, mosque and any other designated place of worship.

It adds that any person who plays religious recording or uses a loud speaker for religious purposes between 11pm and 4am in a public place, or uses a loudspeaker for religious purposes other than inside a church or mosque commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for not less than two years or pay a fine of N200,000 or both.

The bill added that any person who publicly insults or seeks to incite contempt on any religion, likely to lead to a breach of peace, shall be imprisoned for not less than five years or pay a fine of not less than N100,000 or both.While JNI described passage of the bill as welcome development, IMN said the Kaduna government was only domesticating laws to suit its selfish interest.

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