Inihebe Effiong, counsel to Israel Balogun, Founder of Wholeness Africa Initiatives, has urged Samuel Amune, Apostle Johnson Suleman’s lawyer, to sue his client rather than resort to press statements over the lingering ‘miracle money’ controversy.

On Saturday, Effiong stated on his Facebook page that the recent press release by Amune was meant to divert public attention from the subject of the matter.

“Our attention has been drawn to a misleading and provocative press statement issued by Samuel Amune, Esq., one of the counsels to Apostle Johnson Suleman, which has been circulated online and also published on all social media accounts of his client in response to the widely condemned arrest and detention of my client, Israel Goodnews Balogun,” he said.

“We view the press statement as an attempt to divert public attention from the substance of the matter which is whether the Apostle acted truthfully or deceitfully, fraudulently or honestly by claiming to command angels to deposit miracle alerts and miracle money into the accounts of worshippers. The answer to this simple question will determine the merit of this case.”

Effiong also said the “unprintable names” Suleman’s counsel pinned on Balogun in his press statement were not used by him but by another person who also criticised Suleman’s ‘miracle money’.

READ MORE: For Criticising Apostle Suleiman’s Miracle Money, Israel Balogun is in the Police Soup

He said, “The police admitted that most of the words that the Apostle attributed to my client in his petition were used by another person, who, like my client, spoke against the so-called angelic miracle alerts and miracle money.”

“If Suleman is convinced that he has character and that his character has been defamed by my client in the light of his miracle money claims and his other documented ludicrous and discredited false claims, he should proceed to court and not dissipate further energy on press statements.”

READ MORE: OPINION: Is Apostle Suleman above Criticism?

Balogun was invited and detained by the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID) of the Police after releasing a video on his Facebook page, arguing that Suleman’s ‘miracle money’ claims were false.

At a Holy Ghost Convention in Auchi and an Impact 2021 programme in Atlanta earlier this year, Suleiman had declared that angels would credit the bank accounts of some members of the congregation. Several attendees found their way to the pulpit afterwards and said they had received credit alerts from angels.

“We would have simply ignored the said statement while still waiting for Apostle Suleman and his miracle money angels to testify in a court of law to validate the very ludicrous and mendacious claims that angels deposited money into the bank accounts of worshippers at Omega Fire Ministries’ programmes in Auchi, Edo State and Atlanta, Georgia, USA,” said Effiong.

“But we are impelled to respond for the sake of innocent members of the public who may be misled by it.”