The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has expressed support for the proposed bill by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) seeking to ban preaching and hawking inside commercial vehicles.
MURIC said preaching in buses could distract drivers and potentially lead to road accidents, while also posing a risk of breaching public peace.
The organisation stated this while reacting to the FRSC-backed legislation currently before the National Assembly.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC described the proposed law as “a step in the right direction” and urged lawmakers to give it urgent attention.
Akintola said the bill, if passed into law, would help restore order and decorum in commercial vehicles across the country.
According to him, MURIC supports the legislation for two major reasons: the possible distraction of drivers by preaching activities and the likelihood of such acts causing disturbances among passengers and members of the public.
“This is a step in the right direction. With emphasis on bus preaching, we commend FRSC for this proactiveness. The whole idea is not only visionary but also precautionary and constructive,” he said.
He added that preaching inside commercial vehicles was “uncivilized and discourteous,” noting that the high rate of road crashes in Nigeria made the proposed regulation necessary.
MURIC further appealed to members of the National Assembly to expedite action on the bill and ensure its passage into law.
Samuel Agada is a writer and media contributor from Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. He is a graduate of Biochemistry from the University of Jos and a former banker with GTBank and FCMB. A prolific writer, songwriter, educator, and Gospel preacher, he is passionate about informing, inspiring, and impacting society through his work.