Senior Pastor of Omega Fire Ministries International, Johnson Suleman, has called on the Federal Government to ban open grazing nationwide and intensify efforts to identify and prosecute sponsors of terrorism as part of measures to address Nigeria’s security challenges. Speaking during a church service, Suleman argued that insecurity would persist……
Senior Pastor of Omega Fire Ministries International, Johnson Suleman, has called on the Federal Government to ban open grazing nationwide and intensify efforts to identify and prosecute sponsors of terrorism as part of measures to address Nigeria’s security challenges.
Speaking during a church service, Suleman argued that insecurity would persist unless authorities focus on those financing criminal groups and adopt stronger policies aimed at preventing violence across the country.
The cleric listed what he described as four key recommendations for tackling insecurity, beginning with an end to open grazing.
“Ban open grazing. Ranch your cattles. If you want to train your cattle, get a place and train them. Don’t move them about. Cattle business is private business. It’s not government business,” he said.
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Suleman also urged security agencies and the government to target individuals and groups allegedly funding terrorism and other violent crimes.
“Go after the sponsors. Who empowered them? Go after the sponsors,” he said.
According to him, many of the insurgents currently operating in parts of the country are younger recruits who emerged after the initial wave of terrorists entered Nigeria years ago.
“2014, when these men were brought into the country, they came with their children. Our military has taken all of them out. The people you are facing now are the children that were six years old in 2014, who have now grown to be 21, to be 19,” he said.
The cleric further called on political leaders to shift their focus from political activities to security matters.
“This is not the time for politics. Leave every political meeting now and go after these people. Forget all the meetings,” he said.
Suleman also suggested that public officials who acknowledge their inability to solve the country’s security problems should relinquish office.
“If you say that it didn’t start with you, you met insecurity, you are admitting that you can’t fix it. Leave. Let somebody else come,” he said.
Despite his criticism of government handling of insecurity, the cleric praised Nigeria’s security institutions, describing the military, police and Department of State Services as among the best he has encountered globally.
“When it comes to military, Nigerian military, they are one of the best,” he said.
“Our military, one of the best. Our police, one of the best.”
He, however, expressed concern that security personnel are often discouraged when criminal suspects are allegedly released or protected through external influence after being arrested.
“But how do you continue when a military man catches a terrorist and gets a phone call? You are demoralizing them,” Suleman said.
