By Rita Enemuru, Reporting
EDO State Commissioner of Police, AIG Abutu Yaro, has recalled the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for the Auchi Police Division, Ayodele Suleiman, over the extrajudicial killing of the only suspect arrested in connection with the assassination attempt on the General Overseer of the Omega Fire Ministry, Apostle Johnson Suleman.
Stonix News reports that seven persons, including police officers attached to the cleric, were, on Friday evening, shot dead in a deadly ambush by gunmen in Benin.
Ayodele was recalled to the Command’s Headquarters in Benin for debriefing on the circumstances surrounding the killing of the suspect.
Apostle Suleman convoy, it will be recalled, was attacked on Warrake Road in Owan East Local Government Area of the state.
The cleric had late Friday night said that the attack was an assassination attempt on his life.
He had traced his travails to the 2017 scandals directed at his person, stressing that having survived the smear campaigns, his traducers, he claimed he would not name, resorted to assassination.
However, in another post on his Twitter handle on Saturday, Suleman alluded to a cover-up as he alleged that the suspect gunned down by the police was actually arrested and handed over to the police alive.
He stressed that there was no basis for the killing of a suspect already immobilised and in the custody of the police.
A video footage sighted by Stonix News late Friday night revealed how Ayodele shot the suspect at close range in a vehicle amid a voice encouraging and commending him for carrying out the extrajudicial killing.
The Edo Police Command, through its spokesman, Chidi Nwabuzor, had earlier claimed on Friday night that Suleman was attacked in his home.
But the cleric placed a lie on the claim backing it with two videos showing that he was attacked on the road.
The video’s voiceover indicated that one of the lifeless bodies on display was that of one of the attackers, who was gunned down in a gun duel with the police.
In no time, Apostle Suleman put a lie to the claim by alleging that the dead suspect was handed over alive to the police and wondered who was trying to cover up the attack by snuffing life out of the suspect.
He also debunked the claims by the police that his attackers were kidnappers, insisting that they were hired assassins contracted to eliminate him.
“Lies, they weren’t kidnappers. He was caught and handed over and the police killed him immediately.
“Why? Why killing him on the spot? Who is trying to cover up traces?”, Suleman queried.
Reacting to the development, Jennifer Iwegbu, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and deputy spokesperson for the Edo Police Command, in an electronically signed statement, said that the CP had recalled the DPO Auchi Division for questioning over the matter.
The text of the two-paragraph statement, titled: “Outgoing CP, Now AIG Abutu Yaro FDC Orders the Interrogation of CSP Ayodele Suleiman, DPO Auchi,” reads:
“As part of the measures of the Command concerning the circumstances that led to the death of one of the surviving members of the monstrous gang that attacked the convoy of Apostle Johnson Suleman, General overseer of Omega Fire Ministry, the outgoing CP now AIG Abutu Yaro fdc has ordered the withdrawal of CSP Ayodele Suleman, DPO Auchi for debriefing at the State Headquarters with immediate effect.
“Meanwhile, members of the Public are urged to remain calm and patient as no stone would be left unturned to unearth the circumstances surrounding it.”
In a related development, the Edo Police Command has also confirmed that Apostle Suleman was attacked on the road, contrary to the claims by the Command’s spokesman, Chidi Nwabuzor, on Friday night that the cleric was attacked in his home.
The command also, in the statement, said that it suspected that the attackers of Suleman were assassins, adding that one of the vehicles used by the assailants was recovered.
The statement issued and endorsed by the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, DPPRO, Jennifer Iwegbu, ASP, stated that
“The Edo State Police Command has been inundated by an ugly incident that occurred yesterday 21/10/22 at about 1745hrs along Warreke-Auchi road, Edo State where the convoy vehicle of the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministry, Apostle Johnson Suleiman was attacked by unknown assailants suspected to be assassins.
“During the attack, three police personnel, Insp Igbaugba Paragon, Insp Afensumu Philip, Insp Akpolor Monday, who were all aides of the Apostle and three civilians, Ahmed Promise ‘M’, Momoh Ilegogie ’M’, and Janet surname unknown’F’, were shot dead by the assailants while one Vera (surname unknown) was suspected to have been whisked away by the assailants.
“On receipt of this information, DPO Auchi immediately mobilised Policemen, gave the assailants a hot chase, and engaged them.
“One of the assailants was neutralized in the process and one Toyota Avensis car with REG NO. LAGOS KRD 92 HU was also recovered.
“The bodies of the deceased have since been deposited at the morgue while intense bush combing and intelligence gathering are still ongoing for possible arrests of the assailants.
“The Outgoing CP, now AIG Abutu Yaro fdc has ordered the DC CID, DCP Samuel Olawore, Explosive and Ordinance Investigators and Forensic experts to the scene, while Tactical Teams led by the AC OPs, ACP James Chu are advancing to the general area to conduct further coordinator pursuit of the assailants.
“He commiserates with the bereaved families and prays to God to console them, as the authority of the Nigerian Police Force share from the moment of their grief while assuring that the perpetrators of the heinous crime must be brought to book to face the consequences of their action.
“The Command, while appealing for calm, promised that it will use all of its human and material resources towards ensuring that the assailants are brought to book.
“It further urges the good people of the state to swiftly report any strange movement, or unusual gathering within their environment to the police and other sister security agencies noting that security is everybody’s business.”
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