In the early hours of Wednesday, Governor of Ekiti State Ayodele Fayose, foiled an attempt by the Department of State Services (DSS), to arrest Apostle Johnson Suleiman of the Omega Fire Ministries in Ado Ekiti.
The fiery preacher has been in the news lately, after a clip of him telling his members to resist the killings by Fulani herdsmen went viral.
Suleiman was in Ekiti for a two-day crusade, which was attended by Governor Fayose. He was later trailed to his hotel after visiting the Government House.
The DSS operatives encountered resistance from the hotel security, who demanded to know what their mission was. It led to the pastor alerting Fayose, who stepped in and stopped the attempt to arrest him.
Suleiman while narrating the incident 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 on fire”
Fayose also added that he expected the DSS to invite Suleiman and not try to whisk him away in the middle of the night.
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.
“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”.
