In a landmark ruling, a Kaduna State High Court has declared the controversial Religious Regulatory Bill passed by the State House of Assembly as illegal, uncostitutional, null and void.
The bill would have required preachers of all faiths to be licenced to operate in the State. There are indications that the government might appeal the judgment.
On Wednesday, however, the court also berated the Assembly for passing the bill though there was an injunction restraining it from going ahead with processing the bill.
Justice D. Gwadah described the action as an affront on the court.
Gwadah described the Bill, which incidentally Governor Nasir el Rufai has not assented to, as a gross violation of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which guarantees freedom of association and freedom of religion.
According to him, the Bill is inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) Kaduna chapter had in 2016 filed the suit against the Kaduna government.
