Some personnel of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command had detained Ebedialu Joseph Ike over the allegations.
A man illegally detained by the Nigerian police over allegations of criminal defamation and cyberstalking the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International, Apostle Johnson Suleman has been released.
Some personnel of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command had detained Ebedialu Joseph Ike over the allegations.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Ebedialu was arrested on August 30 and detained at the Maitama Divisional Police Station in Abuja.
However, sources told SaharaReporters on Sunday that Ebedialu had been released by the police.
"The man (Ebedialu) has been released after SaharaReporters' report," one of the sources told SaharaReporters.
A family friend of the suspect had confirmed the arrest to SaharaReporters on Friday.
The source had said, “He has been illegally arrested and detained by Apostle Johnson Suleman since Tuesday, August 30th at about 11 am. He is currently under serious threat at the Maitama Divisional Police Station in Abuja.
“The IPO (Investigating Police Officer) in charge of the case has been heavily paid by Apostle Johnson Suleman to handle the case. She illegally detained him because they've all been paid by Apostle Suleman.
“They lied to Joseph (Ebedialu) to put his password on his phone because the Area Commander wanted to gain access to his phone and they read all his messages.
“They have been threatening him, telling him to go and apologise to Apostle Johnson Suleman before they release him. It was through Apostle Johnson Suleman’s boy called Francis that he was arrested. Apostle Suleman said the IG (Inspector-General of Police) is involved, and that even the Senate President is involved that not even the President can stop him.”
When SaharaReporters called Francis, one of the cleric’s alleged foot soldiers and strong players in the arrest, he declined to comment.
The IPO in charge of the case also declined comments, saying she “cannot talk”, while the police officer who allegedly made the arrest warned SaharaReporters against calling his mobile phone number again.
Josephine Adeh, the spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory police command, said she was not aware of the case yet.
Similarly, in 2021, a Youtuber, Israel Balogun was arrested for exposing a money miracle 'session' performed by Apostle Suleman.
According to the police, Balogun's action was a case of defamation of character against the clergyman.
The video of the controversial programme shows Suleman saying, "The Holy Ghost just whispered to me, I'm going to pray and make declarations, after that you will check your account.”
Another voice said, "Papa (a term used by church members for Suleman), there is a miracle alert here, she just got her alert of $1,000."
Suleman said again, "Miracle alert, as you get it, run here. Angels begin to put money in your account."
In Balogun’s analysis that brought about threats, the Youtuber had said, "Apostle Suleman is destroying the gospel of God, why would a man begin by telling people there will be miracle money in their accounts, you are using the name of Christ to do miracle or magic?
“This is not the gospel, this man stood in the midst of the people, in the church in Atlanta and in his church in Nigeria asking people to bring out their phones and there would be miracle money in their account. You must not fold your arms and allow such a thing to continue, Nigerian Christian leaders must dissociate themselves from something like this, they must tell the world that they are never part of the gospel that this man is preaching.
“This is not Christ, this is not Christianity, this is voodoo, this is magic, this is not from God and it can never be from God. God does not deposit money in people's accounts, angels do not share money. It is either this guy has some people behind the scenes who have pre-collected people's bank details, who do not even know they wanted to use it for anything."