DSS Quizzes, Frees Suleman

Tue, Jan 31, 2017
By publisher
2 MIN READ

BREAKING NEWS, Politics

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JOHNSON Suleman, an apostle and founder of the Omega Fire Ministries, was on Monday night, January 30, interrogated and released by officials of the Department of State Services, DSS.

Phrank Shuaibu, Suleman’s spokesperson, who confirmed that his principal was released before 11 p.m. on Monday, said that the interviews went well.

Suleman was said to have questioned for statements he made asking his church members to defend themselves by killing Fulani herdsmen.

The security agency summoned the controversial cleric after a video surfaced showing him calling on his congregation to kill Fulani herdsmen to protect themselves.

“If they are busy killing Christians and nothing is happening, we will kill them and nothing will happen,” he said.

More than 200 people have been killed in clashes between Fulani herdsmen and local farming communities in Southern Kaduna. Similar violence in other parts of Nigeria have also caused the death of hundreds of people.

The Southern Kaduna crisis has since taken a religious dimension despite warnings to the contrary by government officials and peace envoys.

Shortly after the video went viral, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, prevented arrest in Ekiti when the cleric went for a programme there.

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, condemned the planned arrest describing it as a “ploy to turn the preacher into a refugee in his own country.”

“If there is an urgent need to interrogate Apostle Suleman on any issue, it would only have been proper to extend a formal or informal invitation to him from the SSS rather than Gestapo approach used in the attempt to arrest him.

“It should be noted that under Nigerian Laws, he is presumed innocent until a court of law proves otherwise,” the association said.

An invitation was later extended to Suleman on Sunday, January 29, to visit the office of the DSS in Abuja on Monday, January 30.

Speaking shortly after his arrival in Abuja, the cleric said the DSS acted lawfully by inviting him.

“I presume the right thing was done. They have been in touch with me to come and that is why I am in Abuja, so that I can see them,” he said.

—  Jan 31, 2017 @ 17:20 GMT

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