L-R: Italian Deputy Ambassador to Nigeria, Lacopo Foti, and President, Senior Pastor, Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman, during the former’s visit to the latter at the church’s headquarters in Auchi, Edo State.
By Olu Martins
The President and Senior Pastor of the Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman, says Christian genocide in Nigeria is not only ongoing but is taking place in worrisome and large-scale numbers.
Suleman made this assertion during a courtesy visit paid to him by the Italian Deputy Ambassador to Nigeria, Lacopo Foti, in Auchi, the administrative headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, where the headquarters of his church is located.
The discussion between Apostle Suleman and the diplomat which lasted for about two hours was centered on Nigeria’s insecurity issue especially the much talked about Christian genocide.
The clergyman frowned at the initial action of the government to downplay the reality of the genocide in certain parts of Nigeria by employing what he described as orthodox and unorthodox methodologies to hoodwink Nigerians.
The Man of God wished that the government had employed the same energy in quashing the activities of bandits and criminals instead of merely wishing it away with media propaganda.
He acknowledged that insecurity predates the present administration of President Bola Tinubu and thus the blame should not only be placed on him or his administration.
Suleman however asserted that government is a continuum where an administration inherits both the assets and liabilities of previous administrations.
As such, he said, the decision of how the country is run lies and ends squarely on the table of the incumbent President who doubles as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
While expressing concerns over the general state of insecurity in the Nigerian space, Suleman praised the renewed effort of the Nigerian government in the fight against ISIS and other agents of destabilization.
He particularly praised the efforts of the recently appointed Minister of Defense, Gen. Chris Musa (rtd), and enjoined the Federal Government to escalate diplomatic engagement in order to improve the image of the country among other countries.
The Italian envoy said that he had taken particular note of Apostle Suleman’s concerns over the raging insecurity in Nigeria.
The ambassador and promised to communicate the same to the Italian government and its allies.
