Report reaching our us says Apostle Johnson Suleiman of Omega Fire Ministries World wide has been penciled down for arrest by Nigeria's secret police, the Department of State Security (DSS) for preaching against the atrocities of Fulani herdsmen.
The firebrand pastor narrowly escaped arrest in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital in the early hours of today by men of the DSS after a crusade but for the timely intervention of the Ekiti State Governor, Mr Peter Ayodele Fayose.
Reason cited by the security operatives is that the man of God recently preached against attempts by the authorities to Islamize Nigeria.
In a Church sermon in his Church at Auchi, Edo State, Apostle Suleiman decried the killings of Christians in Southern Kaduna by Fulani herdsmen and in reaction asked Christians to arm themselves against attacks by the nomadic herders.
This warning, according to our source, was what angered the authorities in Abuja who ordered his arrest which was to be hatched in Ado-Ekiti tonight.
Narrating his ordeal, Apostle Johnson Suleiman who is in Ado-Ekiti for a 2-day crusade said ''I came to Ado Ekiti for a crusade. But I had a premonition that I was being trailed after I preached that Christians should retaliate any attack or killings by the Fulani herdsmen. These Fulani headmen had turned many Christians to orphans and widowers but the time has come to protect ourselves.
“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”.
Mouth agape, Governor Fayose questioned the rationale behind arresting a man of God by the men of DSS.
He said, ''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.''
Speaking further, he 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 Muslims 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”.
A visibly angry Governor Fayose, according to our reporter said it was unbecoming of the Federal Government to be harassing the clergymen in the country noting that the General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastor Enoch Adeboye was harassed and forced to resign shortly after he visited him in Ado Ekiti.
His words: “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”.
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