By Ehi Ekhator
In this interview with NAIJA CENTER NEWS, the fiery senior pastor of the Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman explains what he means by “if i spend one day behind bar”, Fulani Herdsmen killings, attempt to kidnap him at night among other things.
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Why did DSS come to arrest you last night?
Last month, January second week, i was preaching in the church and i made them know that i had received several calls because up until last year, I have been one of the strong people saying to Christians that we should not go violent because the image Nigeria has, the hunger, the poverty and if you incite people who are hungry and angry, it’s very crazy.
I started getting anonymous calls that they are planning to kill me, they are going to se
nd Fulani Herdsmen to kill me, and some of them will come to church that they want prayer in order to come closer to me to stab me or shoot me. As i was preaching in church, i vehemently said to my people that if they see any of such around, they should be the first to react, they should not allow such person.
Every father will not fold his hands to wait until they kill the first child and second child. He will be prepared to defend himself, so I started talking to my people that they should react and take the person out.
The video came out as if i was saying it to the whole world that they should go ahead and start attacking Fulani herdsmen wherever they see them, i couldn’t have said that.
Yesterday, after preaching at the crusade ground, the governor was present and because of the things he saw happened, he took the camera and told people who were not there to be there today. After, I went with the governor to the state house to pray for him.
Which of the governors?
I am in Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose. So when i got to the hotel at about 1am, i heard that some people were here to see me. I never knew that the DSS came to my hotel two weeks before i came, they actually checked the hotel, I didn’t know, and it was later the management told me.
At 1am, they waited for my securities to leave, it was more like an adoption, they waited and called that they wanted to see me. When i asked who are they? They said some people who came for prayers; they were expecting me to come down so they can do what they wanted to do.
I called my people who are about two minutes from me; I found out that they came with two trucks at 1am. My people asked them if they wanted to see the Pastor why is it 1am? They said they have order from the Presidency. My people even told them that they should go that early morning, I’ll come to see them but they said no that they have 100 percent assurance that i am going with them.
Later the governor came and took me with him in his car. I am trying to calm my people because we have churches over 51 nations. They are staging a protest in Nigerian House in Washington today and i do not want that.
Did you say that Nigeria would not recover if you spent a day behind bars?
People always misunderstand what i say. I told them if i am behind bar for a day, the damage that would happen might take a year for Nigeria to redeem, and what i simply mean by that is the image of Nigeria. Imagine over 50 nations go online and post different things online, it will take a lot of image branding and that’s what i don’t want.
I have never seen anything like this before. My people are reacting and i do not blame them because I was never invited. If you want a man, you write and invite the person, for this idea of coming at 1am, i have never seen this before.
Talking about the Fulani herdsmen, how would you react to the way the Federal Government is responding to the cry of the Christians in Southern Kaduna and other parts?
They are not responding to any cry, they are only angry that people are talking about what they are not doing. It is obvious and this is why i am really worried. If you want to get me then invite me to talk about what i am talking about. Then i will explain to you, but they want to arrest me because i said what you are doing is wrong and that Christians should defend themselves.
I have people i am paying school fees for, they are the children of fatherless people killed in the crisis, if the Government want me to bring them out, i will. The government is doing nothing about it maybe because they are Fulani, the President is Fulani. In Enugu, no one was prosecuted. When i was growing up, i saw Fulani carrying stick but now they are carrying AK 47. It was Fulani people who kidnapped Mike Ozekhome who is a SAN. If they do such a thing, don’t talk, so my issue now is, why am i talking?
With the development, it seems that you and Pastor Adeboye are the only two pastors speaking against the killing, what would you say to the Christian association on the way they are responding?
It is disappointing. It is not just that, some Christians are even attacking me over my comment, and if that what Jesus Christ said? That i should try and preach peace. Jesus Christ said in the bible, i did not come to preach peace; i come to live this world: Mother against their father, father against children, and children against their father. What Jesus mean, when Jesus Christ was arrested, Peter cut someone’s ear, Jesus said “Peter keep your sword”, he didn’t say throw away your sword. It is very disappointing that Pastors have been sending me text messages to say we are with you but none of them are coming out to say ‘this is wrong’, only few people like Dr. Omobude are saying this is wrong, and that the issue that made the man say it should be considered.
Are they saying that as they are killing Christians, I should tell Christians to submit their necks so they can cut it off? If they come and want to rape your wife, sit them down and serve them coffee, welcome them for whatever they want to do to you and your family?
This could not happen under Goodluck Jonathan. I spoke against Goodluck Jonathan, i said all kind of things and i was not arrested.
Are we expecting the Christian world to rise and speak up in the open?
OF course, Christians should defend themselves; we cannot allow this killing to continue.
Are we expecting the leaders to start this by example?
No, it is not wise to go ahead and start fighting, just make sure that your people kn
ow they should not take such nonsense again. Muslims and Christians can be together without fighting and killing. Every leaders should preach to their followers the message of peace.
What’s your take on the law that changed Pastor Adeboye’s
I think the man has been fired and they sorted that out.
I can’t comment on the law that was suspended. For me, it didn’t make sense. A man who has a vision, if they say they want to audit churches, i would not stop that and if they say a man should step aside after 20 years does not make sense because the man he has a vision and knows what God called him to do. That means they should tell the Imam who runs the mosque to step aside, i won’t even support them doing that to Imam let alone. That means they have to go to herbalist that he has to step aside. Religious issue should be left alone and preach tolerance.
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