Ekiti state governor Ayodele Fayose and the chairman of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’s Forum, in the early hours of
Wednesday, January 25, thwarted operatives of the Department of State
Services (DSS) efforts to arrest Apostle Johnson Suleman of The Omega
Fire Ministries Worldwide in Ado Ekiti.
The Pastor who was in Ado Ekiti for a two-day crusade was alleged to
have preached against Fulani herdsmen rampage by ordering his members
to kill any suspected herdsmen they find near him or his church
recently in Auchi, Edo state.
According to reports Suleman was trailed after paying a courtesy visit
to the governor at the Government House to his hotel room by the
operatives of the DSS in Adebayo area of the state capital.
The DSS operatives who almost forced their way into the hotel was also
said to have been resisted by security men of the hotel who insisted
on knowing their mission.
The pastor was said to have alerted Governor Fayose to apprise him of
the sudden development.
Consequently, Fayose personally led a rescue mission to prevent the
DSS from going away with the pastor by taking him to safety.
According to Suleman: “I received several calls from hidden numbers
trying to locate where I am and I had warned my security not to allow
any Fulani man to come nearer me. So when the men of DSS came in the
middle of the night I knew their mission and I had to call the
Governor because if they arrest me, they will put this country in
fire.”
Governor Fayose who is also the chairman of the Peoples Democratic
Party [PDP] Governor’s forum expressed his shock over the
development. He noted that instead of resulting to such gestapo style
of arrest, the DSS could have easily invited the man of God if they
have anything against him:
The governor said: “I personally attended his crusade and I think it
is wrong for a man of God who is armless that could be invited if they
have any issue against him. Are Christians and Moslems under different
dispensation of the rule of law? . That’s why I went there to rescue
him. Let them kill two of us together.
“But when they saw my vehicles and the crowd, they fled. “But we have
information that instructions came from DSS in Abuja that the Pastor
should be arrested.We are not in a fascist state, Federal Government
must learn to respect the rights of Nigerians and freedom of
expression.”
Going further, the governor said that harassment of clergymen is a
dangerous trend in the country because religion is a volatile issue
government should be wary of.
He therefore call on security operatives against intimidation and
arrest of men of God in the interest of peace and religious harmony in
the country.
He said: “This is unacceptable, we are in a democracy and Nigerians
should warn the Presidency against putting this country on fire
because religion is an emotional thing.