The Oyo State police command, on Tuesday, confirmed the burning of residence of an Ibadan based activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly called Sunday Igboho.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the incident to Daily Trust in Ibadan.
Fadeyi said unidentified hoodlums came to Igboho’s house at the SOKA area of Ibadan in a Hummer bus and a Nissan Micra, and fired sporadically at the building.
Fadeyi said: “At about 0620 hours of today, 26/01/2021, report was received at Sanyo Police Station that some unidentified hoodlums came to Sunday Igboho’s house at SOKA area of Ibadan in a Hummer bus and Micra, firing sporadically, and set the house ablaze.
“The mini sitting room got burnt in the process while amount of other properties is yet to be estimated.
“Immediately the DPO Sanyo got wind of the incident, he contacted Fire service while he also went to the scene for on-the-spot assessment.
“The fire was eventually put out.
“Investigation has commenced into the incident while the Police is on the trail of the hoodlums.”
A source close to Igboho who earlier confirmed the incident to the Daily Trust on phone said though Igboho was not at his house when the house was set on fire, he had called his men to confirm if anybody was killed as a result.
He told Daily Trust that the affected structures were where the activist was living before moving to the new one in the same compound.
He said: “It is true. I have called my boss this morning but he didn’t pick. I had to call one of his details to know the truth of the matter. He confirmed it to me. I will give you more details when I get there.”
Igboho had, last week, visited Fulani settlements in Igangan, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State where he gave them a seven-day ultimatum to leave the area.
He accused the Fulani community in the area of masterminding abductions, killings, and other criminal activities in the area.
He was alleged to have led some youths to burn down houses of Fulani residents in Igangan community.
No suspect yet
Meanwhile, Igboho has said he cannot attribute the dastardly act of burning his residence to a particular tribe.
He, however, said the culprits must have come from within the state.
Speaking with reporters at his resident, Igboho said he lost over N50 million to the inferno.
He said those who perpetrated the evil act were coward for not setting ablaze his new house where he presently reside.
When asked if Fulani herdsmen he ordered to leave the region were responsible, Igboho said: “I wasn’t in the house when the incident happened.
“My brothers slept in the house. I cannot attribute the attack to any tribe,” he said.
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