The convoy of popular Nigerian cleric, Apostle Johnson Suleiman has been attacked by gunmen on Friday.
The attack happened along the Benin Auchi Road, Edo State, as seven persons including three policemen were killed.
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.
Suleman’s lawyer, Samuel Amune, who confirmed the attack to our correspondent, said the cleric just returned from a programme in Tanzania, adding that he escaped death by a whisker.
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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 the day before yesterday.
“He was returning to Auchi when the gunmen attacked him along Sabingida down to the Warake area, and Auchi shares a 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 a few seconds ago; but I cannot confirm yet. Let me hear from the Divisional Police Officer covering that area.”