The story making the rounds that Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka’s house in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, was attacked by Fulani herdsmen is nothing but fake news.
His son, Dr Olaokun Soyinka, debunked the rumour on social media about the alleged invasion and attack.
“Prof Wole Soyinka’s house was attacked last night by Fulani hoodlums and miscreants to assassinate him because of his numerous truth to power and particularly because of his recent news interview where he spoke truth to the Presidency especially advising Buhari to come out openly and denounce the Fulani herdsmen dastardly acts of violence in the Southern parts of Nigeria.
“The story is nothing, but fake. This is not true, please do not circulate further and help to debunk it”.
“It is an attempt to encourage discord. Although some cows were spotted, neither Prof or his house was attacked by anyone. I have confirmed this today (Wednesday 10th) directly myself from him.
“Kindly do not fall for this attempt, whatever the motive, to further inflame this problematic situation,” Dr Soyinka said in a statement circulated widely on the social media.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Police Command has said the matter was nothing, but a case of “stray cow”.
The spokesman, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi,
said there was no attempt by any person to attack Prof. Soyinka.
“It was a thing of surprise to see a video trending on social media that the respected Professor wole soyinka’s house was invaded by Fulani herdsmen with the view to attack or kill him.
“The video is nothing but a calculated attempt by mischief makers to cause panic in the mind of people. There is nothing like invasion of Prof Wole soyinka’s house or any form of attack on his person.
“Yesterday Tuesday 9th of February 2021, one Kazeem Sorinola an indegine of Ijeun Abeokuta who is into cattle business said to have been informed by a young Fulani man, Awalu Muhammad who is taking care of the cattle that one of the cows had got missing.
“While the Fulani man was searching for the stray cow around Kemta Estate where the Prof. Wole soyinka’s house is located, the Prof. himself who was going out then saw the Fulani man with some of the cows and he came down to ask where the man was heading to with the cows. He there and then asked the Fulani man to move the cattle away from the vicinity.
The Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area, who heard about the incident quickly moved to the scene with a patrol team and the owner of the cows was invited to come with the Fulani man in charge of the cattle.
The duo were questioned and properly profiled. The entire place was inspected by the DPO and it was established that it was just a case of stray cow as nothing was damaged or tampered with”
Police Commissioner Edward Awolowo-Ajogun, who was on-the-spot assessment, interviewed the owner of the cattle, Kazeem Sorinola, as well as the Fulani man who is in charge of the cattle and their statements showed clearly that the story of attack was mischievous.
“The command hereby wishes to warn the fake news peddlers to desist from it as they may be made to feel the weight of the law.
“It is an offence for anybody to originate or help in circulating fake news, the command will therefore, henceforth be tracing and fishing out those deliberately dishing out fake information to members of the public especially the one that cause panic in the mind of innocent people,” he said.
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