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Chukwudi Akasike, Friday Olokor, Samson Folarin and Daud Olatunji
A Fulani herdsman identified as Awwalu has been arrested by police in Ogun State for grazing his cattle on the premises of the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka’s Ijegba Estate in Abeokuta.
Three of 23 cows reportedly strayed into the estate located around Ajangboun in Kemta-Idi-Aba in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.
One of the children of the Nobel Laurel, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, in a statement issued on Wednesday confirmed the incident.
He, however, refuted the rumour following a viral video clip on the social media that his father’s estate was attacked by Fulani herdsmen.
Deji Elumoye in Abuja and Kayode Fasua in Abeokuta
Controversy yesterday trailed Tuesdayâs alleged grazing of cattle by a herdsman at the Abeokuta home of Noble Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.
While the Ogun State Police Command has said that missing cattle strayed into Soyinkaâs compound, a close associate of the laureate and a former Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Olu Agunloye, said the herdsmen led their cattle to graze in the compound because they thought that Soyinka was not at home.
However, the South and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has condemned the reported herdersâ scare at Soyinkaâs home.
Soyinka’s Residence Not Attacked, Herdsmen Trespassed On His Land – Son
The younger Soyinka, however, said while it was true herdsmen and cows trespassed on his father’s land, there was no attack or attempt to enter his father’s residence.
by SaharaReporters, New York
Feb 10, 2021
Olaokun, son of Professor Wole Soyinka, Nobel laureate, says herders did not attack his father’s house in Ogun State but trespassed on his land.
Olaokun disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
He was reacting to a viral video on social media, in which it was alleged that the Nobel laureate’s house was attacked by herders on Tuesday.
Deji Elumoye in Abuja and James Sowole in Akure
The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has backed the one-week ultimatum given by the Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, to herdsmen to vacate the forests in the state.
This is coming as farmers, forest guards and the members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state have staged a protest in support of the governor’s decision to eject herdsmen from all the forest reserves in the state.
In a statement issued yesterday entitled: ‘SMBLF warns FG on Herdsmen’, the Forum frowned at the ‘dangerous game’ the federal government is playing over its overt support for Miyetti Allah to violate the lawful order of Ondo State Government banning grazing in its forest reserves.
By Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and Udora Orizu in Abuja
The controversy generated by the Christmas message of the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, in which he criticised President Muhammadu Buhari, generated more reactions yesterday as groups and a presidential aide weighed in.
While the president’s Special Assistant, Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) and Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) knocked Kukah, the Catholic Church in Nigeria, the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) defended him.
Kukah, in the Christmas message last Friday, had accused the president of turning nepotism into a state policy.