Police authorities have begun a probe of General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International, Apostle Johnson Suleman, for allegedly sleeping with wife of an estranged former Pastor Mike Davids.
Davids accused Suleman of threats to his life and denying him access to his children.
He said Pastor Faith Edeko, who heads the Abuja branch of Omega Fire Ministries in Utako, was having an amorous affair with Suleman.
His wife, Pastor Faith Edeko, however denied the allegations, saying she had nothing to do with Apostle Suleman.
The church through Resident Pastor, Omega Fire Ministry, Headquarters, Joseph Iyare, also dismissed the allegations, saying they were untrue.
But Davids insisted the popular preacher was liable.
The IGP Mohammed Adamu has ordered a probe of the petition by Davids.
The letter CB:7000/IGP.SEC/ABJ/Vol.515/561 was addressed to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Force Intelligence Bureau, Garki dated January 5, 2021.
It was signed by the Principal Staff Officer II to the Inspector-General of Police, ACP Iliya Doma.
In the petition by V.C Ezenagu & Associates on his behalf, Davids accused Apostle Suleman of threat to life and preventing him from seeing his three children.
The probe order titled ‘Re: Criminal Petition Against Apostle Johnson Suleman for Enticement of a Married Woman; Adultery; Unlawful Criminal Restraint to Access Children and Threat to Life’ reads in part: “I attach herewith a copy of a letter dated December 30, 2020 with its attachments received from V.C Ezenagu & Associates on the above underlined subject. The Inspector-General of Police directs that you treat. Accept the assurances of my esteemed regards please.”
Davids alleged he met Apostle Suleman in 2003 while he was in school and they became close, leading to his ordination as pastor of Omega Fire Ministries on June 9, 2006 by Apostle Suleman.
In three videos posted on Instagram on Sunday, he accused Suleman of sleeping with his wife and destroying his marriage.
Davids, who wept in the videos, said he began a relationship with his wife in secondary school and they courted for about 11 years before marriage.
He said in 2008 he introduced his wife – who was still his fiancée at the time – to Apostle Suleman whom he regarded as his spiritual father and she told him that Suleman had been making advances at her and once invited her to Reliance Hotel, Benin but he never regarded it as anything serious.
The aggrieved pastor said things degenerated when he was posted to Osun State in 2010 shortly after the birth of their daughter, Michelle in November 2009.
The petitioner said Apostle Suleman was setting up a gospel television station and needed the assistance of his wife, who was an employee of NTA.
According to him: “My wife was a staffer with NTA Iruekpen, so Apostle Suleman reached out to her that they will need her to build Celebration TV and Rhema for Living. She would have to shuttle between Osun State and Auchi.
“She came back from Auchi to Osun State and said she wanted to talk to me that her conscience was pricking her. I asked what was it and she said that while in Auchi, Apostle Suleman lodged her at Uyi Grand Hotel and he came there and slept with her.
“And the moment she said that, the first thing that came to my mind was my daughter. I asked where was Michelle when this happened and she said Michelle was on the bed, pushed aside and I asked, ‘You mean you slept with a man with my daughter on the bed?’.
“I had to let it go because there was nobody I could tell and I couldn’t fight with Apostle Suleman… I forgave her but the amorous relationship continued. One thing I know is that my wife was hypnotised. This is not the woman I got married to, who I knew for 11 years.”
Davids said his relationship with Apostle Suleman soon turned sour and he was suspended.
After the suspension, he declared he refused to return and then started receiving threats from Apostle Suleman.
He alleged when he left the church in July 2019, his wife relocated to Abuja with their three children.
Davids said, “Apostle Suleman has given her a branch of the church in Utako, Abuja to head without permission. I am calling on Pastor David Oyedepo, Pastor Paul Enenche, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Pastor Margaret Idahosa, CAN, PFN.
“Apostle Suleman has damaged my life. I have not seen my wife and children for two years and Apostle Suleman says if I ever go near them, he will have me taken out. I have a video where he said he will make me disappear. I don’t want to lose my life.”
But his wife dismissed the allegations as cheap blackmail.
In a video, she said it was the petitioner that abandoned the marriage.
She said the ordeal affected her health and she even contemplated suicide but her son stopped her.
Pastor Edeko, who wept in the video, said she never slept with Apostle Suleman, adding that she did not even have easy access to him.
According to her: “There are recordings which I will upload. You told my brothers that I would crawl in the gutters. I told them not to do anything to you, that you are still the father of my kids. At some point, I contemplated suicide.
“I had written my suicide note, I had bought sniper because I could not fathom how I would live life in so much pain. I won’t drag you because of my children… you have done too much and it is enough. I am not hypnotised. I am not under a spell.
“I don’t know what you hope to achieve, I don’t know who paid you but the only thing I will say is haven’t you done enough? Are you not tired of flogging someone’s daughter in pain?
“You left me in Kano. You called me on a certain day that you were going to leave the marriage. I thought you were bluffing. I called my people and they can testify. My elder brother called you from the UK. You told them you were leaving the marriage. My elder brother told me you were bluffing.
“I remember I begged you and then I got to the office and I collapsed, according to what my principal said because I found myself in the hospital.”
She said that no one was preventing Pastor Davids from seeing his children, adding that he lived in the same city with them but had refused to visit.
Resident Pastor, Omega Fire Ministry, Headquarters, Joseph Iyare, dismissed the allegations against Apostle Suleman.
He said Pastor Davids is “frustrated by his own evil deeds”.
