The Senior Pastor and General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International, Johnson Suleman, has commented on the recent wave of abductions and the growing insecurity across Nigeria.
PREMIUM TIMES reported a series of incidents, including the kidnapping of church members in Kwara State, as well as pupils in Kebbi and Niger States.
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The attacks sparked criticism and renewed debate over the role of clergymen in responding to the country’s escalating security challenges.
Reacting to the situation and to criticisms aimed at pastors, the 54-year-old cleric, in a video posted on his Instagram page on Sunday, lambasted those questioning the movements of pastors.
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He maintained that clergymen should not be blamed for the nation’s security problems.
The Edo-born said, “You see all the attacks that are going on now? The attack, terrorism, and all of that. And as soon as it happens, they call pastors. Why are pastors not talking? You must be sick. Let me tell you why I say you are sick. Have you ever heard somebody, before he pulls the trigger, say, ‘Praise the Lord, and shoot someone?’ Or he says, ‘Thank you, Jesus, and he pulls the trigger?’ The first people you should call are those in that religion.
“It’s their religious leaders you should call, not pastors. Pastors should speak for the sake of humanity. Why are you calling Papa Adeboye? Is Adeboye an Imam? Does terrorism have a Christian nomenclature? What do they shout before they kill people? Is that a Christian parlance? So why are you calling pastors? You carry somebody’s picture. I am a pastor. The day somebody says, ‘Thank you, Jesus’, before he pulls the trigger, call me.”
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‘We’re speaking’
Mr Suleman stated that pastors have continued to speak out and have never remained silent on the issue of insecurity in the country.
He explained that the pastors not only condemned the rising insecurity but also engaged with governors, the President, and other key stakeholders to help ensure the nation becomes free of violence and instability.
“Should pastors speak? Yes. Because of humanity. Are we speaking? Of course, we are speaking. You know, to you, everything is social media. If you don’t see it on social media, it didn’t happen. They were killed in Benue. I didn’t just speak, I travelled to Benue. I sat with the governor, and we had a conversation. I went to ask him what we could do. When they were killing in Yola, I didn’t just go to Yola. I went to the governor. I went to the IDP camp because we didn’t post it.
“We went to the IDP camp. I was threatened. I was told not to come to the IDP camp. I said I am going there. And I gave them materials. You didn’t go. You are pressing the phone. Apostles are not talking. We are not just talking, we are going there. Jos, I was there for two days. If I hadn’t told you all this, you wouldn’t know. Because to you, everything is social media. When they had their issue in Borno, we went there, and we sent relief materials”, said the clergyman.
Mr Suleman added that those criticising the pastors were largely people who relied on social media for their information.
He further stressed that the pastors could not simply fold their arms and watch people die.
Mr Suleman cited the engagement between the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and the late President Muhammadu Buhari as an example.
“You didn’t go. It is the data you have. You are pressing the phone. You are attacking. Papa Adeboye spoke. He talked about how he sat down with the former president. He told him (late President Muhammadu Buhari) what they were doing about the service chief.
“If he didn’t say that, you wouldn’t know what is happening behind the scenes because everybody must be like you. We must insult. Where aggression fails, wisdom gains. We can’t fold our hands when people are dying”, said Mr Suleman.
Prayer
The clergyman also urged Nigerians in the diaspora who were spreading claims that pastors were silent on insecurity to return to the country so they could join in prayer and dialogue towards finding lasting solutions.
He recounted being informed that some netizens allegedly advised Pastor Jerry Eze not to pray for the safe return of the abducted schoolgirls during his online prayer sessions.
Mr Suleman said, “People began to attack him (Jerry Eze). That we should not pray. Did you give him a gun? No. Give him a weapon to fight with, since you don’t want him to use the one he already has. The man is praying. That is his weapon. Shut up. Don’t tell him not to pray. That is what he sees as his weapon. You say we should not pray. All of us must behave like you. You see the Nigeria we want. You want a new Nigeria where others must do what you want. You are already a bully because you don’t like prayer, so we should not pray.
“You don’t like prayer, so we should not pray. So we must please you. We have prayed for too long. Let’s not stop praying. Let’s go to the streets. And you, who is typing from London. Come to Nigeria, let’s go to the streets. You are typing from Canada. If it’s sure for you. Come to Nigeria. We shouldn’t pray. We should go on the streets. Please drop a location and make sure you are there. We will meet you on the streets. But if we get on the streets, we are praying. Those who can pray, pray. Those who can post, post. Those who can do anything, do it. We want a better Nigeria. Don’t tell him not to pray.”
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