The Senior Pastor and General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries (OFM) International, Apostle Johnson Suleman, Friday, escaped death by whiskers but seven of his aides were felled by bullets.
Suspected gunmen attacked the convoy of Apostle Suleman along the Benin Auchi Road, Edo State, allegedly killing seven persons including three policemen.
The clergyman, it was alleged, escaped the raging bullets owing to driving in the bulletproof car.
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Our correspondent gathered that Suleman was returning from a foreign trip and was heading to a destination in Edo State when the gunmen attacked his convoy around the Auchi area of the state.
During the attack, the gunmen opened fire on Suleman’s convoy, allegedly killing three of his police orderlies and four yet-to-be-identified persons.
In a video posted on his church’s social media pages, the clergyman said he knows those behind the attack but won’t be mentioning their names.
”I just escaped an assassination attempt where seven people were killed. They opened fire on my car. My wife and my kids were there. The escort car with police, they killed the policemen. They killed the other people in the escort car, the bus, that were with us. They killed seven people.
”People who did this are expecting me to come out and mention their names, so they can come out and deny it but I won’t do that. The truth of the matter is, you can’t kill me, my life is in the hand of God, I’m a man of God, ” he said.
Suleman’s lawyer, Samuel Amune, who confirmed the attack to some journalists, said the cleric just returned from a program in Tanzania, adding that he escaped death by a whisker.
He said, “He was returning from a journey and he had almost on the shores of Auchi when some assassins attacked him. Three of his police orderlies, among others died. He travelled before and just finished a program in Tanzania.
“He was returning to Auchi when the gunmen attacked him along Sabingida down to Warake area, and Auchi shares direct boundary with Warake. So, he had passed Warake and was entering the boundaries of Auchi when the attack happened.”
A security expert, Dickson Osajie, who condemned the lack of security in the state, said the attack happened in broad daylight.
Police confirm attack on Suleman
The Edo State police command has confirmed the attack on the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman on Friday.
Straightnews had earlier reported that gunmen suspected to be assassins attacked Apostle Suleman along the Benin-Auchi Road, Edo State.
The attack on the convoy of the clergyman led to the death of seven people, including three police officers.
The incident was confirmed by the Police Public Relations Officer of Edo State Command, Chidi Nwabuzor.
Nwabuzor stated that two drivers of Apostle Suleman, three policemen and one female house help were killed in the attack.
According to Nwabuzor, upon alarm raised moved to the scene of the incident and gunned down one of the hoodlums and recovered one of the vehicles used.
He further stated, “He was attacked by hoodlums yet unknown at about 5 pm (1700 hours). He was attacked at home.
“As we speak, two of his drivers were murdered, three policemen murdered, one female house-help murdered, one missing.
“Upon alarm raised, police moved to the scene, gunned down one of the hoodlums and recovered one of the vehicles used.
“Currently, Apostle Suleiman is safe and sound.”
