EKITI State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, just stormed Midas Hotel, Ado Ekiti to rescue Apostle Johnson Suleman of the Omega Fire Ministry who was to be arrested by the DSS for speaking against Fulani herdsmen killing of innocent Nigerians at the church open crusade yesterday night.
Armed men of the DSS came in Three Hilux Vans and were laying siege on the hotel before the Governor stormed the hotel yesterday at midnight.
Fayose drove himself to the hotel and moved the Man of God to the Ekiti State Government House, Ado-Ekiti.
The Pastor who narrated his ordeal around 2 am 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 against any attack or killings by the Fulani herdsmen. These Fulani headmen had turned many Christians into 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”.
Governor Fayose, who expressed surprise that a man of God had been trailed to be arrested by the men of DSS said, he expected the security operatives to invite him “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.
The Governor said, “I attended his crusade and I think it is wrong for a man of God who is armless that be invited if they have any issue against him. Are Christians and Moslems under different dispensations 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”.
Governor Fayose noted that 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.
He said, “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”.
The governor also warned security operatives against intimidation and arrest of men of God in the interest of peace and religious harmony in the country. The constitution guarantees freedom of worship”.
Apostle Suleman warned that if he spent just one day in DSS custody, it would take Nigeria one year to repair the damages.