BY TIMOTHY AGBOR
Apostle Johnson Suleman on Friday, escaped death by a whisker as suspected hired assassins attacked his convoy and allegedly killed seven persons including three policemen.
The cleric was said to be heading to a destination in Edo State when the gunmen attacked his convoy around the Benin Auchi area of the state.
Suleman had reportedly returned from a foreign trip.
During the attack, the gunmen reportedly opened fire on his convoy, allegedly killing three of his police orderlies and four other yet-to-be-identified persons.
His vehicles were riddled with bullets, a video obtained by The Point revealed.
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 a whisker.
He said, “He was returning from a journey and he had almost gotten on 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 day before yesterday.
“He was returning to Auchi when the gunmen attacked him along Sabingida down to Warake area, and Auchi shares direct boundary with Warake. So, he had passed Warake and was entering the boundaries of Auchi when the attack happened.”
A security expert, Dickson Osajie, who condemned the lack of security in the state, said the attack happened in broad daylight.
He said, “They attacked him (Suleman); seven people including a policeman were killed. The country is not safe; our can people move around with guns at the express and they are not detected. It is a disturbing situation.”
Contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Chuidi Nwabuzor, said, “I just heard about it few seconds ago; but I cannot confirm yet. Let me hear from the Divisional Police Officer covering that area.”
