A LEGAL EVALUATION OF PERMISSIBLE LIMITS TO FREEDOM OF RELIGION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The right to freedom of religious is a fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) The right is also provided in some prominent regional and international instruments. This is unarguably due to the importance and sensitivity of this right to citizens and government. As important as this right is, all the laws that made provision for it also have provisions on how and when there can be some derogation and limits to this right. This has to a large extent cause some abuses against this right while attempts are made to limit or derogate from this right. To evaluate these limits, the researcher adopted the doctrinal research methodology whereby primary source materials such as; statutes and case law and secondary sources including journal articles and text books are extensively considered in this work. It is the findings of this work that; there exist some misapplications of some statutory limitations for derogation on the right to freedom of religion. That these abuses are usually part of the efforts by those in positions of authority to limit or derogate from this right. It is recommended that; precautions must be applied whenever attempts are made to limit or derogate from this right.