Gunmen attack Apostle Suleman, six killed

The General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman’s motorcade was attacked on Friday at Warrake in Edo by gunmen, killing six persons.

Apostle Suleman was on his way to Auchi in Edo after he returned from a missionary trip to Tanzania when the gunmen attacked his motorcade.

The attack and killings has been confirmed by the police spokesman in Edo state, ASP Chidi Nwabuzor.

The attack on Johnson Suleman is true. Suleman was attacked by hoodlums at about 5 p.m.

As we speak, two of his drivers were murdered, three policemen were killed, one female house-help was killed and one person is missing.

Upon an alarm raised, police moved to the scene, gunned down one of hoodlums and recovered one of the vehicles they used.

Currently, Apostle Suleman is safe and sound, Nwabuzor said.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the attack took place on Warrake-Auchi, Road in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo.

An eyewitness told NAN, that the gunmen were in a Toyota Avalon car and a Toyota Sienna wagon.

The witness said they blocked all other vehicles on the highway, manoeuvred their way to Suleman’s motorcade and opened fire on his vehicles.

His wife and children were in the motorcade and in the same vehicle as Apostle Suleiman. His car that was at the head of the motorcade escaped, however, he said.

Mr Sam Amune, legal Adviser to the Ministry, has described the attack as a case of “attempted assassination’’.

I think it was a case of attempted assassination because the assailants who were in the Avalon and Sienna vehicles stopped other vehicles to reach Apostle Suleman’s motorcade but they did not take anybody.

People just stopped and watched as the drama unfolded.

Apostle just ended a programme in Tanzania on Wednesday and flew to Lagos and then to Benin where his family joined him.

His children normally ride in a separate vehicle, but this time they rode with their father while the domestic staff rode in the children’s vehicle.

It is very unfortunate to lose lives this way,’’ Amune said.