Grace Ogunleye
By Toyin Williams
The Ekiti State Police Command has arraigned the Vice Chairman of Ilejemeje Local Government Area, Grace Ogunleye, alongside three other suspects before a Chief Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti over alleged conspiracy and self-kidnapping in a case that has generated widespread public outrage across the state.
The defendants were brought before Chief Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun following the conclusion of police investigations into the controversial incident that was initially reported as a kidnapping.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Sunday Abutu, the arraignment followed findings from an investigation launched after Ogunleye was reported missing on May 20, 2026.
At the court session, the prosecutor, ASP Akinwale Oriyomi, informed the court that the case file had already been forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice. He subsequently urged the court to remand the suspects pending the outcome of the legal review.
Ruling on the application, Chief Magistrate Adeosun ordered that Ogunleye and the three co-defendants be remanded at the Ado-Ekiti Correctional Centre pending further proceedings in the matter.
The case stems from an incident that triggered anxiety within Ilejemeje Local Government and neighbouring communities after the vice chairman was declared kidnapped along the Ipere–Iludun Ekiti Road. Her vehicle was reportedly discovered abandoned by the roadside, while efforts to reach her proved unsuccessful, prompting fears that she had fallen victim to armed abductors.
The reported abduction immediately drew the attention of security agencies, with police and other operatives launching a coordinated search operation to secure her release. The incident also heightened concerns over insecurity and kidnapping in parts of Ekiti State.
However, the narrative took a dramatic turn after police investigations allegedly uncovered evidence indicating that the kidnapping was staged.
According to investigators, the purported abduction was allegedly orchestrated as part of a scheme to generate funds to offset personal financial obligations and fulfil certain political commitments. The findings eventually led to the arrest of Ogunleye and three other individuals allegedly linked to the plot.
The development has sparked intense reactions among residents and political observers, many of whom expressed concern over the implications of such allegations at a time when security agencies are grappling with genuine cases of kidnapping and violent crime across the country.
Reacting to the incident, the Chairman of Ilejemeje Local Government Area, Pius Dada, condemned the alleged act, describing it as embarrassing, unfortunate and unacceptable.
Dada warned that such actions, if proven, could erode public confidence in elected officials and undermine trust in security institutions that commit significant resources to responding to emergency situations.
He stressed that public office holders must be held to high standards of accountability, insisting that no individual, regardless of status or political position, would be shielded from justice if found culpable.
The case has since become one of the most talked-about political controversies in Ekiti State, with many awaiting the outcome of the DPP’s legal advice and subsequent court proceedings.
