Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, in the early hours of Wednesday, reportedly prevented operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) from arresting 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.
It was gathered that Suleman was trailed to his hotel room by the operatives of the DSS in Adebayo area of the state capital, after paying a courtesy visit on the governor at the Government House.
The DSS operatives who almost forced their way into the hotel, it was gathered, were 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.
Speaking on the development, Pastor Suleman says, “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 expressed his shock over the development. He noted that instead of resulting to such Gestapo-like arrest, the DSS could have easily invited the man of God if they have anything against him:
In the words of the governor, “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.”
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, cautioned security operatives against intimidation and arrest of men of God in the interest of peace and religious harmony in the country.
HE continued, “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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