Ekiti Court Remands LG Vice Chairman Over Alleged Staged Kidnapping

A Chief Magistrate’s Court in Ado-Ekiti has ordered the remand of the Vice Chairman of Ilejemeje Local Government Area, Grace Ogunleye, over allegations that she was involved in a fabricated kidnapping incident.

The ruling was delivered on Wednesday by Chief Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun after the council official was arraigned on several charges connected to the alleged staged abduction.

The court directed that she be held at the Ado-Ekiti Correctional Centre pending further administrative steps, including preparation of the case file and its transfer to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.

According to available reports, Ogunleye was declared missing on May 20, 2026, after her vehicle was discovered abandoned along the Ipere–Iludun Ekiti axis.

Her reported disappearance led to a joint search operation involving security agencies, including police officers, military personnel, and local security groups, before she was later found the following day.

Investigators, however, reportedly suspected that the abduction had been deliberately staged, allegedly to obtain financial relief and meet personal or political obligations.

The matter has been adjourned pending guidance from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

In reaction, the Chairman of Ilejemeje Local Government, Pius Dada, condemned the alleged incident, describing it as disgraceful and warning that no public official would be exempt from accountability.

He added that such conduct, if proven, could damage public confidence in government institutions and security agencies.

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