BEVERLY HILLS, January 29, (THEWILL) – As the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman goes to answer an invitation by the Department of State Services, DSS, on Monday, the Citizens Advocacy For Social and Economic Rights, CASER, has stated that the popular preacher did not err in law by asking his followers to kill any Fulani herdsman that attacks him or enters the church.
The inciting comment captured in a video that went viral on the internet is believed to be why DSS operatives made an attempt last week to arrest Suleman from his hotel room in Ado-Ekiti where he had gone for a two-day crusade. But the Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose intervened and saved the cleric from being whisked away.
But in a letter written to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, seeking his intervention on the matter, CASER pointed out that Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution as amended which guaranteed the right to life also allowed the life of a violent attacker to be legitimately taken in self defence, in order to protect human life and property.
It stated that the entire Fire Arms Act also makes provision for the legal acquisition of ammunition by private Nigerians either for the purpose of self defence or gaming, adding that the growing insecurity in the country has led to the extant practice where there is moratorium in the grant of gun licences to law abiding citizens who wish to legally own guns.
The letter dated 29th January, 2017, is titled: ‘DSS Invitation Of Apostle Johnson Suleman Is Needless, Provocative And Calculated To Humiliate Nigerian Christians And, Incite Religious Tensions In Nigeria: The Legitimacy Of Self-Defence And The Need For A Home Grown Community Policing In Nigeria’.
CASER argued that with the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons, SALW, it is only wise for citizens to legitimately defend themselves in the face of overwhelmed government security agencies that are still grappling with Boko Haram, Fulani Herdsmen, militancy and kidnap rings.
The letter, which was signed by the Executive Director of the group, Frank Tietie, observed that while Suleman’s comment may be viewed as extremist, it was informed by “the growing palpable fear of insecurity in the country and the seeming helplessness of christian communities in Nigeria, in the event of attacks by genocidal Fulani Herdsmen”.
Going by DSS’ show of force against the preacher in the Ekiti state capital, the civil society organisation claimed that the invitation for him to visit the office of the secret police in Abuja was aimed at psychologically humiliating and intimidating Suleman and Nigerian Christians in general in order to make them see self defence as unlawful.
The letter reads in part, “It was needless for the DSS to have attempted to have arrested the cleric when it could have merely invited him as it has now done. However, it is the view of the Citizens Advocacy for Social & Economic Rights (CASER) that the said present invitation to the Apostle is needless given the growing misinterpretation and apprehensions among Nigerian Christians who have suffered the loss of many lives without adequate and commensurate response of state agencies like the DSS.
“This move by the DSS is clearly seen as provocative with the intention of setting a section of the Christian faith against the Nigerian state whereas, a direct warning to the Apostle would have been sufficient. Such a warning would have achieved greater assurance to all citizens that the agents of the State are still in control of situation while dispelling the notion of bias against Christians who believe the government had not been so swift in its response to the marauding herdsmen.
“Your Excellency, we must reiterate that self-defence is a legitimate right of any individual or group of persons in Nigeria. Therefore, we expect the Nigerian Police together with the Nigerian Security & Civil Defence Corps to quickly explore ways of developing our own home grown style of community policing by managing the formation of individual members of Nigerian communities into providing self defence against marauding herdsmen, terrorists, militants and other criminals like kidnappers. This is possible within the precincts of existing laws but requires the exercise of the will of government in its sincere response to the intractability of the herdsmen crisis and other security problems.
“The application process for licences to own ammunition should be more transparent and accessible to all citizens, especially high profile citizens like religious leaders, political figures, business persons and community leaders who are high targets of crimes. Their attendants, assistants and vigilante group members should also be legally allowed to carry arms.
“Psychologically, where potential attackers are conscious that their victims are equally armed, they would most likely be dissuaded from initiating an attack. Such is the social reality of the present day Nigeria which we must acknowledge both as leadership and as a people.
“We therefore hope that you would give due considerations to the issues we have raised in this writing and consequently exercise the powers of your office to draw the attention of the Nigerian government to swiftly adopt realistic measures in addressing these social problems rather than exacerbating them.”
