The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum on Tuesday condemned, in very strong terms, Tuesday’s invasion of the Abeokuta private residence of Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, by herdsmen and their cattle.
In a statement titled, “Attack on Soyinka Bizzare”, and signed by Yinka Odumakin, South West; Chief Guy Ikokwu, South East; Senator Bassey Henshaw, South South and Dr Isuwa Dogo, Middle Belt, the Forum warned the federal government that no harm should befall the elder statesman.
The statement reads:
Hours after Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka warned this country that the activities of Fulani herdsmen could lead to a civil war and urged President Buhari to denounce them clearly to show he is President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, the herdsmen stormed the elderstateman’s residence in Abeokuta around 1 pm on Tuesday and caused serious scare before the Professor called in the police.
It is a painful development that herders will not even give a scant regard to a man of Soyinka’s stature in their madness let loose on Nigeria with no authority to call them to order.
If there are people still living in denial about the intention of these criminals and those shielding them, there is no further evidence than this.
We do not know what they have that they are playing this roulette, but we are sure when a blind man says we have to settle this stoning ourselves, it is either he is stepping on or clutching one.
We also want to warn them of the implications of hurting a man like Soyinka with the fragile unity of the country.
Let President Buhari know that these criminals are working hard to make him the last President of One Nigeria.
