PFN Vows To Defy Any Ban On Preaching Inside Commercial Buses

( Bishop Wale Oke. Photo Credit: Punch News)

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria has vowed to oppose any attempt to prohibit Christians from preaching on commercial buses, claiming that believers would continue to evangelize even if such a legislation was enacted.

Bishop Wale Oke, President of the PFN, revealed this on Wednesday’s episode of Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

He was responding to the debate surrounding the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which proposes a N50,000 fine for anyone guilty of hawking, trading, or preaching inside commercial vehicles.

“We will preach on busses if they want to imprison us; let them arrest us. We are coming. “They will not be able to stop us from preaching in buses,” Oke stated.

The Bishop of Sword of the Spirit Ministries International stated that Christians would “rather obey God than man,” and that any restrictions on public preaching would violate their constitutional freedom to spread their faith.

Oke defended words he made in a viral video while addressing his congregation, reaffirming his commitment to oppose any attempt to ban public evangelizing.

“If you want to enforce the law, turn all of Nigeria’s stadiums into prisons. We’re coming. “We will preach in buses and everywhere,” he declared in the video.

The preacher characterized the proposal as an attack on Christians rather than an honest attempt to promote public safety.

He believes that the proposed restriction represents a larger trend of actions.

He stated that Nigeria is home to individuals of all religious views and should stay so.

The debate arose as a result of public concerns about sections in the Federal Road Safety Corps (Amendment) Bill, 2026 that address preaching and hawking in commercial vehicles.

However, the Senate stressed that the amendment measure does not include a new ban on preaching or hawking in commercial cars.

According to the Senate, the provision has been in place since the introduction of the FRSC Establishment Act in 2007, when it appeared as Item 36 of the Second Schedule and was later preserved as Item 49 in the proposed modification. 

It also referred to Regulation 220 of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2012.

The Senate also disputed accusations that the bill would prohibit street preaching or restrict religious activity in public spaces.

“It is about the safety of commuters and other road users and is not intended to undermine any religious activity in the public space,” Senate members said in a statement.

The upper chamber further emphasized that the bill was not sponsored by Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, stating that it began in the House of Representatives and is now before the Senate as a concurrence bill.

The Senate also stated that the legislative process was still ongoing and invited stakeholders to address their concerns through the appropriate parliamentary process before the measure was passed.