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The convoy of Omega Fire Ministries founder, Apostle Johnson Suleman, has been viciously attacked by gunmen, in which his aides, including church members and police escorts, were reportedly shot dead.
Sources confirmed that the incident happened at Warake downtown of Auchi, Edo State, on Friday, at about 5:00pm, while the clergyman was on transit with his entourage.
Suleman’s lawyer, Samuel Amune, who confirmed the attack, said the cleric just returned from a programme in Tanzania, adding that he escaped death by the whiskers.
He said, “He was returning from a journey and he had almost gotten to the shores of Auchi when some assassins attacked him.
“Three of his police orderlies, among others, died. He travelled before and just finished a programme in Tanzania the day before yesterday.
“Apostle Suleman survived the attack and escaped with his bullet proof vehicle which is said to be badly damaged as the tyres had been severely shot.
“There were fatalities with over seven aides dying during the attack. He was returning to Auchi when the gunmen attacked him along Sabongida down to Warake area; and Auchi shares a direct boundary with Warake. So, he had passed Warake and was entering the boundaries of Auchi when the attack happened.” Amune added.
A video recorded after the incident revealed Apostle Suleman’s badly damaged armoured car indicating that was the only reason he escaped alive.
Some damages made by bullets were seen all around the car from the front windshield to the sides all through to the back of the car.
Other very graphic videos also showed the dead policemen and other aides who accompanied the popular clergyman on the ill-fated journey.
Reacting to the incident in a video posted on his Twitter handle on Friday, Suleman said that he escaped an assassination attempt on his life, noting that seven lives were lost to the attack.
He said, “My car was attacked; they opened fire on my car and kept spraying bullets, my wife and kids were in the escort car in the front. They killed the police; they killed the other people on the other escort car and the buses with us. Seven people moving in the convoy were killed.”
DPO removed for probe
Meanwhile, the Divisional Police Officer of Auchi Division, Edo State, CSP Ayodele Suleiman, has been removed by the outgoing State Commissioner of Police, (now AIG) Abutu Yaro, following the death of the suspect allegedly involved in the attack of the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman’s convoy.
His removal was contained in a statement by the Command’s Deputy Public Relations Officer, Jennifer Iwegbu.
According to her, the DPO’s withdrawal was part of the measures to unravel the circumstances that led to the death of one of the surviving members of the gang that attacked the convoy and that he is to report at the state police command for debriefing.
The statement reads: “The outgoing CP, now AIG Abutu Yaro, has ordered the withdrawal of CSP Ayodele Suleiman, DPO Auchi, for debriefing at the State Headquarters with immediate effect.
“We urge members of the public to remain calm and patient, assuring that no stone would be left unturned to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident,” she said./SHARE THIS