Senior Pastor of Omega Fire Ministries International, Apostle Johnson Suleman, has defended former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, following allegations of religious extremism reportedly made against him by the Supreme Islamic Council of Nigeria.
In a statement issued by his media team and signed by Rev. Olu Martins, Suleman described the allegation as unfounded and called for greater religious tolerance and honest conversations on Nigeria’s security challenges.
According to the statement, Suleman was responding to a letter dated June 28, 2026, reportedly signed by Abbas Jimoh on behalf of the Supreme Islamic Council of Nigeria, in which Oritsejafor was allegedly described as an extremist.
The cleric said Christians found the allegation “bizarre” and maintained that Oritsejafor’s comments during a recent television interview focused primarily on governance, national leadership, insecurity and the welfare of Nigerians, rather than promoting religious intolerance.
Suleman stressed that the loss of any Nigerian, regardless of religious affiliation, should be a source of concern for all religious leaders.
“For emphasis sake, it is imperative to state that the death of any Nigerian, whether Muslim or Christian, bothers us as clergymen because we are first humans before we are religiously inclined,” the statement said.
The Omega Fire Ministries founder argued that discussions on insecurity should not be dismissed as attempts to inflame religious sentiments, urging stakeholders to confront the root causes of violence while promoting peaceful coexistence.
He also called on the Supreme Islamic Council of Nigeria to intensify efforts aimed at promoting religious tolerance and discouraging the use of religion to justify criminal activities.
Suleman further urged religious and community leaders across the country to work together in fostering unity, mutual respect and national cohesion, rather than deepening divisions through accusations and counter-accusations.
The statement was signed by Rev. Olu Martins on behalf of Apostle Suleman’s media team.
