TheCable

Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, says the Department of State Services (DSS) is planning to detain Johnson Suleman, general overseer of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, and David Oyedepo, founder of  Living Faith Church, also known as Winners Chapel.

Fayose, who foiled the plot to arrest Suleman in his state, accused the federal government of taking its “desperation to the house of God”.

Both pastors have made headlines in recent times over controversial statements.

While Suleman ordered his security aides to kill herdsmen who come around the church premises, Oyedpo asked his members to defend themselves against attacks.

Oyedepo has since said he made those comments in the heat of the Boko Haram crisis.

The DSS has invited Suleman to its Abuja headquarters for questioning.

In a statement by Lere Olayinka, Fayose’s spokesman, the governor said it was questionable that the DSS was interested in a man who said he would defend himself from attacks of Fulani herdsmen.

“There is plan to charge apostle Suleman and bishop Oyedepo for incitement and attempt to cause public disorder on Friday, and make sure that they are not granted bail so that they are remanded in Kuje prison perpetually,” the statement read.

“Even though the DSS has allowed commonsense to prevail by properly inviting Apostle Suleman as against the gestapo manner with which the service attempted to abduct him last week Wednesday, it is still questionable that the DSS is more interested in a man who threatened to defend himself against any attack by Fulani herdsmen rather than those herdsmen that murdered thousands of Nigerians.

“It is sad and worrisome that after muzzling opposition politicians, judiciary and the press, the APC-led federal government has taken its desperation to suppress dissenting voices in the country to the house of God.”

He wondered why the DSS could swiftly respond to “Suleman’s so-called inciting comments”, but has not been able to save many lives across the country.