Apostle Johnson Suleman has commended the Nigerian Army, Police, and Department of State Services (DSS) as among the best globally, while also pointing out the significant challenges that undermine their morale in the fight against terrorism. During a church service, the cleric expressed frustration over how security personnel are demoralised by sudden phone calls from their superiors whenever they successfully capture dangerous terrorists.
Praise for Security Institutions
Suleman stated that Nigerian soldiers risk their lives daily to protect citizens, yet their efforts are often undermined. He criticised those who insult security officers online, stressing that these officers are the backbone of national safety. "Under God, those are the only people protecting you. You carry your phone, you are typing and joining people. You can't claim to love a country or a nation when you are destroying its institutions," he said.
The cleric compared Nigerian police officers, DSS, and Army favourably with their counterparts abroad, insisting that they remain highly effective despite public complaints. "I've seen policemen outside in different countries, they are horrible. Our military, one of the best. Our police, one of the best. If you come to the DSS, you have no idea. You hear people say, let them track these people. You know how many people they track every day and they pick them quietly?" he added.
Four Recommendations to Government
Apostle Suleman then outlined four key recommendations to the federal government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu:
- Ban open grazing: He urged the government to ranch cattle, stating that cattle business is a private enterprise.
- Go after the sponsors: He called for targeting the financiers of terrorism, noting that many current insurgents were children in 2014 who have now grown older.
- Stop politicking: He advised leaders to leave political meetings and focus on security challenges.
- Resign if unable to fix insecurity: He stated that if the government admits it inherited insecurity and cannot solve it, they should step aside for someone else.
Defence of Pastor Adeboye
In a separate incident, Suleman defended Pastor Enoch Adeboye over his participation in a prayer walk during Goodluck Jonathan's administration. He clarified that Adeboye was obeying a religious directive from the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, not staging a political protest. Suleman also described the current administration as the worst he has witnessed, lamenting that Nigerians now worry about their lives instead of just food.
