Gunmen attacked the convoy of General Overseer of Omega Power Ministries, Auchi, Apostle Johnson Suleman on Friday.
They reportedly killed seven persons, including three police orderlies during the attack along the Benin Auchi Road, Edo State.
The cleric was said to be heading to Edo State after a foreign trip when the gunmen opened fire on his convoy.
Four other yet-to-be-identified persons in the convoy were said to have also been killed during the attack.
Suleman’s lawyer, Samuel Amune confirmed the attack to The PUNCH, stating the cleric just returned from a programme in Tanzania, adding that he escaped death by a whisker.
The newspaper quoted Amune to have said: “He (Suleiman) was returning from a journey and he had almost gotten on the shores of Auchi when some assassins attacked him. Three of his police orderlies, among others died. He travelled before and just finished a programme in Tanzania day before yesterday.
“He was returning to Auchi when the gunmen attacked him along Sabingida down to Warake area, and Auchi shares direct boundary with Warake. So, he had passed Warake and was entering the boundaries of Auchi when the attack happened”.
Edo State Police spokesman Chuidi Nwabuzor aso confirmed the attack.
He however said six persons, including policemen and Suleman’s drivers were killed.
He said efforts were on to locate the whereabouts of a domestic staff.
He also noted that one of the assailants was gunned down during the attack.
