Contrary to speculations, Police in Oyo State has said the house of Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho was set ablaze by armed hoodlums early Tuesday morning.
Reports indicated that the house was set ablaze around 3 am on Tuesday after the power supply to the area was cut off with speculations that the action may have been a revenge from the Fulani herdsmen who have been having running battles with the Yoruba activist in the past few days.
But Gbenga Fadeyi, the spokesperson for the Police Command said reports received on the incident indicated that hoodlums who invaded Soka area of Ibadan where the house was located in a bus and taxi set the house ablaze after scaring people away with gunshots
Fadeyi, who said this in a statement however said police had begun an investigation into the incident.
The police statement read, “At about 0620 hrs of today 26/01/2021, a report was received at the Santo Police Station that some unidentified hoodlums came to Sunday Igboho’s house at Soka area of Ibadan in a Hummer bus and Micra ( taxi) firing sporadically, and set the house ablaze.
“The mini sitting room got burnt in the process while the value of other properties is yet to be estimated.
“Immediately the DPO Sanyo got a 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. An investigation has commenced into the incident while the Police are on the trail of the hoodlums.”
The Director of Operation Oyo State Fire Service, Mr Ismail Adeleke had earlier said no life was lost in the fire incident.
Adeleke said that it was only the waiting room and the corridor of the building that were affected by the fire.
He said items destroyed by the fire were Plasma television set, air conditioners and chairs.
Adeleke said investigation was ongoing to ascertain the cause of the fire.
Adeyemo (Igboho), popularly known as Sunday Igboho, recently gave a seven-day ultimatum to herders in the Ibarapa axis of Oyo State to leave the area.
He said herders have been responsible for the killings and kidnappings of the residents of Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa.
But Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State insisted that the herders were not responsible for the insecurity. He asked the police to arrest Igboho and other trouble makers.
Adeyemo later went to Igangan community in Ibarapa axis of Oyo State on Jan. 22, resulting in a clash.
The home of the Fulani Seriki in the town was burnt.