It should be noted that the assault on Suleiman’s convoy resulted in the tragic deaths of six…..
By Meshach Prince, Abuja
Yesterday, the Police at Force Headquarters in Abuja revealed that their FIB and IRT (Intelligence Response Team) operatives have successfully dismantled the criminal gang responsible for the attack on Apostle Johnson Suleiman’s convoy, the founder of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide. During the attack, which occurred on October 21, 2022, along the Benin-Auchi road, two members of the gang were killed, and another was apprehended.
It should be noted that the assault on Suleiman’s convoy resulted in the tragic deaths of six individuals, including three police personnel, who also had their service rifles stolen.
CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer, made this announcement while presenting the arrested gang member at the IRT headquarters in Abuja. Adejobi stated, “During their investigation, FIB-IRT operatives successfully tracked down one Yusuf Isah, a plumber and native of Okene, Kogi State, at AgbaraOluwa Phase 2, Ijoka, Akure, Ondo State. In his residence, they discovered five AK-47 rifles, two K2 Assault rifles, 180 live ammunition, and four suspected improvised explosive devices (IEDs).”
“Investigations revealed that the suspect was part of the 7-man gang responsible for the attack on the convoy of the Apostle and some of the rifles found in his possession were, in fact, rifles snatched from the three police officers killed during the October 21, 2022 attack.
“The suspect confessed he joined the vicious gang in 2021, after he was freed from Olokuta Prisons, where he was on remand since 2019 for involvement in armed robbery.
“The group specialised in kidnapping for ransom, and has carried out about four kidnapping operations between 2021 and 2023, including the attack on the convoy of the Apostle, before the gang was eventually busted by the Police.
”Two members of the 7-man gang were gunned-down in separate encounters with the Police. The suspect confessed that the gang was responsible for the kidnap of a popular oil dealer at Jattu, Auchi, in 2022, where they obtained a ransom of about N70 million before his release.
“The gang equally carried out the kidnap of a businessman along Benin-Agbor express road in 2022 and collected N20 million as ransom from the victim’s family.
“Their last attempt at kidnapping after the failed attack on the Apostle was along Owo-Ikare road where they were heavily engaged and repelled by the police escort accompanying their target.
‘The suspect further confessed the plan of the gang on October 21, 2022, was to forcibly kidnap the Apostle and collect a huge ransom.
“They had trailed him for days and planted an informant on the Benin-Auchi express road to feed them with updates on his itinerary on the day of the attack.”
According to Isah, he claimed responsibility for initiating the gunfire when the convoy approached, but he admitted that their primary target managed to evade the attack.
Adejobi confirmed that ongoing efforts are being made to capture the remaining suspects who are currently evading arrest.
