An angry mob had stormed the church after information spread that a one year-old boy, Eniola Gold Kolawole, who went missing in the church on November 10, was found buried on the altar of the church.
The police in Ondo State has said that no corpse was exhumed from Sotitobire Church in Akure, the capital, on Wednesday.
An angry mob had stormed the church after information spread that a one year-old boy, Eniola Gold Kolawole, who went missing in the church on November 10, was found buried on the altar of the church.
The police brutalised journalists covering the invasion of the church by the angry residents and also seized their gadgets.
In a statement on Wednesday, spokesperson for the police in the state, Femi Joseph, said nobody was exhumed from the church premises as claimed.
He said, “The Ondo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that they should disregard rumours making the rounds that the body of a recently declared missing boy in the state had been exhumed from Sotitobire Church in Akure.
"It is most unfortunate that this misleading information spearheaded by a popular television station has ignited a spontaneous reaction from the people, leading to wanton destruction of properties and injury to many.
"The church building was also set ablaze by irate youths. Some of our officers dispatched to the scene to contain the situation were pelted with stones with many of them sustaining injuries.
"This rejoinder became necessary to disabuse the minds of many Nigerians who might have fallen for this wicked lie and propaganda.
"The public should also not be hoodwinked by reports that the command had abandoned the investigation of the incident as the case file is already on the way to the DPP for legal advice.”
SaharaReporters had reported that operatives of the Department of State Services last week arrested the General Overseer of the church, Babatunde Alfa.
It was gathered that some influential politicians and traditional rulers in the state had continued to lobby for the release of the pastor still in DSS custody.