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Apostle Suleiman Storms DSS With 30 Lawyers, Today
Founder of the Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleiman, will be visiting the office of the Department of State Services (DSS) today, accompanied by 30 lawyers.
Suleiman was invited last Friday to report to the DSS office today over alleged “inciting statements” he made.ý
Suleiman is expected at the DSS headquarters in Abuja today at 10:00am.
“Suleman will be appearing before the DSS with about 30 lawyers because we believe that his persecution has become politicised,” a church source told newsmen, yesterday.
The church’s Communications Adviser, Phrank Shaibu, also confirmed that the pastor will honour the invitation.
He said: “Yes, I can confirm to you that he (Suleiman) was officially invited and as a law-abiding citizen, he will honour the DSS invitation on Monday. The invitation, though ludicrous and an afterthought, is a welcome development.”
This comes after the security agency made an attempt to arrest the cleric in his hotel room in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.
The pastor, who was in Ekiti for a two-day crusade that began last Tuesday, was alleged to have been preaching against Islamising Nigeria, and asked members of his church in Auchi, Edo State, to resist the killings by criminals suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, who he alleged of targeting Christians for decimation.
It would be recalled that the cleric had asked his followers penultimate Sunday to kill any Fulani herdsmen who threatens them.
The attempt to whisk away the cleric was foiled by Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, early last Wednesday following a tip-off.
Meanwhile, the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has warned the Department of State Services (DSS) against alleged plan to detain and subsequently charge to court the General Overseer of The Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleiman.
The governor also alleged that there were plans to invite and charge the General Overseer of the Winners Chapel Ministry, Bishop David Oyedepo, on Wednesday, alongside Suleiman for incitement and attempts to cause public disorder.
Reacting to the development, yesterday, Fayose said the plans to humiliate these men of God and as well silence them to create fear in other people that may speak against heinous crime against humanity being daily committed by criminals would be counter-productive.
He wondered why killer herdsmen were being shielded by the Federal Government that would rather persecute those speaking against them.
The governor advised the government and the DSS not to go ahead with these plans as it would heat up the national peaceful coexistence.
He said, “No herdsman or mastermind of the Kaduna killing has been brought to justice till date.
“The federal government should pay attention to the economy they destroyed and revamp it and safe Nigerians of the hunger ravaging the land.”
Similarly, the Foundation for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade (FHRACC), Delta State, has warned the Department of State Services (DSS), to rescind the invitation order on the President and Founder of Omega Fire Ministries, Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleiman, to appear before it today, over his comment on the genocidal killings of Christians by Fulani herdsmen, saying, “it is an invitation to anarchy.”
FRHRACC, in a statement at the weekend by the National President, Alaowei Cleric Esq, urged the DSS not to stoke religious crisis in the country with its move to browbeat the fiery cleric.
It asserted: “The botched midnight arrest of Apostle Suleiman and his subsequent invitation by the Department of State Services (DSS) is a clear witch-hunt. The move by the DSS to arrest the man of God just because he expressed his feelings on the marauding invasions of the Fulani Herdsmen against Christians in the country is a clear attempt to murder freedom of speech, apparently to engender religious bigotry.”
“DSS should not stoop so low to venture into such dangerous journey, which end will only help to create religious crisis. Our Constitution forbids placing one religious practice above the other ones,” the group said.
It added: “Despite the genocidal killings currently going on in some parts of the country, which has being perpetrated by the now sacred Fulani ethnic-religious warlords, the DSS has not invited any of the Muslim leaders in the country for interrogation. Nothing is more inciting than the DSS’ plans to suppress Christians from exercising their constitutional rights.”
“Handlers of government institutions should be careful of their actions in order not to plunge the country into an anarchic end. Nigeria is a secular country governed by a Constitution. The DSS should not turn itself to an arm of one religious body in the land to perpetrate religious crisis,” the group warned.
“Nigeria belongs to both Christian and Muslim faithful in the country and so, no Christian leader should be made the scapegoat for expressing his feelings towards the Fulani herdsmen’s brigandage.
“We pray that the DSS should not by act or omission instigate religious crisis between Christians and Muslims in the country. We are calling on all well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the DSS to rescind its decision on Suleiman,” the group asserted.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that peace has prevailed because he draws strength from God to resist insults and tantrums thrown at him while frustrating attempts by some disgruntled persons who wanted to plunge the State into unending crisis.
The Governor also said that because he has anchored his Government on promoting peace, the enabling atmosphere has been provided for investments and sustainable development to flourish.
Governor Fubara made the assertion when he received a delegation of members of the Bishops and Gospel Ministers’ Association International Incorporated, Rivers State Chapter, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Represented by the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nwaeke, Governor Fubara said while most people took his meekness for weakness, his stance on peace has unarguably enhanced harmonious atmosphere of concord as residents sleep with their two eyes closed, and investors and shareholders are happy with the returns on investment.
He said, “Before, what they hear of Rivers State is that they are fighting, and some genuine investors will not come. Some people even ask you: How are you coping in Rivers State?
“But now”, he asserted: “The Governor has brought about a lot of changes in the State. One of the most important things is that he has changed the negative narrative. It is no longer Rivers of blood. It is now Rivers of peace.
“We are enjoying our lives here. Why? Because there is a change in the narrative. We have peace. The Governor is, as much as possible, absorbing any level of insult at him only for one purpose: that Rivers State may have peace; that we may grow; that this state will experience genuine development.”
Governor Fubara urged them, as members of the Christian family in the State, to continue to pray for the State and the Government so that the enemies of the State will be put to greater shame.
“This peace is what I want you to embrace. Go and continue to pray, because when the sower of the seed went and sowed, the enemy went in the night and sowed tares inside there. But the Governor is sowing peace.
“When I listened to the leader of the team, His Grace Eddy Ogbonda, he said you came all the way from Eleme Junction, and stopped at major junctions, and you uttered prayers for the peace of Rivers State.”
He also said: “I, hereby want to thank you for identifying with the Governor at a time like this. At a time when it looks as if someone wants the Governor’s peace posture misunderstood as weakness.
“When someone has the strength to fight back, but refuses to fight back. That is a bigger strength; that power of restrain does not just come, it can only come from God.
“You cannot give peace, if you do not have peace within you. The Governor is not interested in any form of trouble or violence. What he is interested in is known, and it is: let there be peace in Rivers State,” he said.
In his address, leader of the group, Archbishop Eddy Ogbonda, said they had observed a week-long intensive prayers that culminated into a peace rally, which brought them to Government House, and assured the Governor that God will continue to give him victory over his adversaries while preserving Rivers State.
“It is Rivers State Prophetic Prayer Convocation and Rally 2024 with the theme: ‘Peace be still’. Of a truth, everyone of us understands that we live in a time when we need peace much more than any other thing.
“Rivers State needs peace. Everyone as individuals need peace. The country needs peace, and the world at large needs peace. So, we are here to do a peace march. We pray that God will command His peace to reign in Rivers State,” he said.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has stated that hotels, schools, and other establishments that accept payments in dollars from their customers are at risk of facing arrest.
The Chairman of EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, said this in the agency’s publication called EFCC Alert on Monday, adding that action would be taken against individuals involved in the dollarisation of the economy.
According to him, the exception is if foreigners come in to transact business and the only means of transacting is their credit card and dollar but to charge local customers in dollars or other foreign currencies would no longer be allowed.
He said charging local activities and customers in dollars is against Nigeria’s constitution.
The EFCC chairman said, “Schools that charge Nigerians in dollar, supermarkets that trade in dollar, estate developers that sell their property in dollar, hotels that are invoicing in dollar, we are coming after you and we have made arrests in that area.
“Yes, if foreigners are coming in and the only means of transacting is their credit card, and dollar, why not? You will get that.
“But document it properly as against selling things within the system, local economy and you will be using dollar as the medium of exchange, it is illegal.
“Our law does not allow for that. And we have also affected some arrests.”
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has enjoined Muslim faithful to remain steadfast to the lessons learnt during the holy month of Ramadan.
Governor Fubara stated this in his message of felicitations to Muslims as they celebrate the 2024 Eid-el-Fitr Sallah, which marks the end of the one-month Ramadan fasting.
The Governor emphasised the importance for Muslims to also uphold the tenets of Islam by exhibiting the fear of God and showing piety in their daily work.
Governor Fubara said, “We must all continue in the good attributes imbibed during the holy month of Ramadan as directed by God through His Prophet, so as to ensure peace, unity and harmony in the society for a better future.”
While praying that the essence of the festival offers them happiness, peace and prosperity in all aspects of life, Governor Fubara said he recognises and appreciates the critical role that the Muslim community continues to play in the development of Rivers State, and indeed, Nigeria at large.
Governor Fubara charged them to remain unwavering and steadfast in their commitment and positive contributions to advance the development of the State and the country.
“I enjoin you all in the State to remain calm, be patient and continue to do what is right,” the Governor added.
He wished the Muslim faithful in the State and across the country a happy Eid-el-Fitr celebration.
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