President of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman, has said that he escaped an assassination attempt on his life.
Suleman, who has a long-running battle with some entertainers over allegations of sexual misconduct, was attacked along Benin–Auchi Road, Edo State on Friday.
It was gathered that the cleric returned from a foreign trip and was heading for a destination in the state when the gunmen attacked his convoy.
His lawyer, Samuel Amune, had earlier said the cleric just returned from a programme in Tanzania, adding that he escaped death by a whisker.
The clergyman said in a video posted to Twitter in the late hours of Friday that those behind the attack are expecting him to mention their names but he would not.
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.
“People who did this are expecting me to come out and mention their names so they can come out and deny, 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.’’
Edo police spokesman Chidi Nwabuzor also confirmed the attack.
He said six persons, including policemen and Suleman’s drivers, were killed, adding that efforts were ongoing to locate the whereabouts of the cleric’s domestic worker.
Nwabuzor stated, “The attack is confirmed. It was done around 5pm in Auchi. They travelled from Benin and were already at Auchi when they were given a hot chase and surprisingly they (hoodlums) shot at their vehicles. Three policemen were murdered; two of his drivers were killed; one domestic female worker killed and they are still searching for the other domestic female worker. As we speak, Apostle Johnson Suleman is safe. One of the hoodlums was gunned down and one of the vehicles was recovered.’’
