Apostle Suleiman, His Inciting Statements, The DSS & Governor Fayose Who Wouldn't Let Go
A major showdown has ensued after a video recently went viral, showing the outspoken senior pastor of the Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman, making what many feel are hate speeches and inciting statements. In the popular video, the OFM founder was seen asking his aides and church members to deal ruthlessly with any Fulani herdsman whose mission is to attack him or the church.
In his words, Apostle Suleman said:
“I have told them in the church here, that any Fulani herdsman that just entered by mistake, Kill him, Kill Him. Cut his head. If they are busy killing Christians and nothing is happening, we will kill them and nothing will happen,”.
These remarks has garnered a vast varieties of divergent view points. Many have condemned it in its entirety, arguing that these words were tantamount to furthering the already discordant tunes in the nation occasioned by diversities in religion, ethnicity and political affiliations as it were.
DSS Comes For Suleman
In the early hours of Wednesday, January 25 ,the DSS in Ekiti state attempted to arrest Apostle Suleiman after he asked his security to kill any Fulani herdsman they see around him or his church premises.
Suleman was reportedly holding a two-day crusade in Ado Ekiti, when news began to spread that the DSS planned to pick him up at the crusade ground.
When the cleric returned to his room at Midas Hotel on Iworoko Road after ministering at the event, men of the DSS arrived in three Hilux vans and laid siege on the hotel with the intent of leaving with the prominent Christian cleric.
According to Suleman, the operatives of the DSS were trying to break into the room where he was staying. But when a crowd of worshipers began to assemble at the hotel, the ceased the operation.
The embattled clergyman unhesitatingly took to twitter to recount his experience with the DSS.
In his words:
"If I spend a day in DSS custody, my followers will cause damages that will take one year to fix.
In Nigeria, people are killed and notin hapens.but wen pple speak dey are arrested. xtians shld not go afta dem but dey shldnt come after us
I repeat it,Christians defend urself. Av lost countles xtian friends by this same extremists.let doz runnin der mouths continue.mathew 11.12
Go back to the tape.i said any herdsman seen around me or d church.not herdsmen walking on der own..tnks for d luv nd msgs all ova.am fine.
The Nigerian president has ordered my arrest becos I warned against their killing innocent Christians..2trucks of armed men came for me
But God said they are too small..Isaiah 54v17 will speak..there will be consequences..am from above and untouchable.ofm worldwide will react
I repeat it,Christians defend urself. Av lost countles xtian friends by this same extremists.let doz runnin der mouths continue.mathew 11.12
See tweets below:
Governor Fayose To The Rescue
Governor Fayose halted the arrest and Apostle Suleiman has addressed the attempted arrest. The governor who said he was shocked over the development also seized the moment to assert that such gestapo style of arrest was not right as the DSS could have easily invited the man of God if they have anything against him.
Fayose's words:
“If they have any issue with him instead of arresting him in the dead of the night after a powerful and spirit-filled crusade in my state.”
“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.”
While adding; “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.”
On the flip side, Apostle Suleman narrated the role the governor played while pointing out how badly the country will turn should he be successfully arrested by the DSS operatives.
He said:
The governor, “stormed Midas Hotel to rescue Apostle Johnson Suleman who was to be arrested by the DSS for speaking against Fulani herdsmen killing in Nigeria”, Lere Olayinka, a media aide to Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, wrote on Facebook.
“Armed men of the DSS came in three Hilux vans and were laying siege on the hotel before the governor stormed the hotel,” he continued.
“Governor Fayose drove himself to the hotel and moved the man of God to the Government House.”
Fayose arrived at the hotel at about 1am on Wednesday, January 25, 2017 and left with the cleric.
“It was the crowd that scared them,” the apostle explained to a journalist at the Government House.
“But the truth I want to pass out, if anything… If I spend a day with the security operatives, I have churches in 42 countries and I have alerted them,” Apostle Suleman threatened.
“Every Nigerian embassy in those countries will be in trouble.
“If I spend one day with security operatives, the damage that will happen to Nigeria will take one year to repair.
“If I spend one day. In this country, I have over half a million people and there are reactions already.
“If I spend one day with security operatives, the damage that will happen to Nigeria will take one year to repair.
Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode Throws-In His Punch
Avowed Buhari Critic and Former aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode has reacted to Ekiti state governor Ayo Fayose's prevention of the arrest of the OFR senior pastor Apostle Suleman by the men of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Fani-Kayode affirmed that the apostle was simply telling Christians to protect themselves.
In a tweet on his Twitter handle on Wednesday, January 25, Fani-Kayode commended Fayose, noting that the governor has done well to protect the cleric from being detained.
