A Chief Magistrate’s Court in Ado-Ekiti has ordered the remand of Grace Ogunleye, Vice Chairman of Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State, over allegations that she staged her own abduction to extort money.
Ogunleye was remanded at the Ado-Ekiti Correctional Centre following her arraignment before Chief Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun on multiple counts bordering on conspiracy and alleged fake kidnapping.
The case stems from an incident on May 20, 2026, when the council official was declared missing after an alleged abduction along the Ipere–Iludun Ekiti road while returning from official duties. Her vehicle was later found abandoned, raising concerns about insecurity in the area.
A joint security operation involving the police, military, and local vigilantes led to her rescue the following day, May 21, with no reported injuries.
However, subsequent investigations by security agencies reportedly uncovered inconsistencies in her account, alongside digital evidence suggesting the kidnapping may have been staged.
Prosecutors allege that Ogunleye conspired with accomplices to fabricate the incident in a bid to demand ransom, with preliminary findings linking the alleged act to personal financial pressures and political commitments.
Ogunleye has denied the allegations, maintaining her innocence and challenging the claims made by investigators. However, the court has yet to determine the merits of the case, as proceedings remain at an early stage pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Under Nigerian law, she is presumed innocent until proven guilty, while the prosecution bears the burden of establishing the allegations beyond reasonable doubt.
The court ordered her remand pending the duplication of the case file and its transfer to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice. The matter has been adjourned for further hearing.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman of Ilejemeje Local Government, Pius Dada, described the incident as “shocking and unacceptable,” stressing that due process must be followed.
“No one is above the law. The law should take its full course,” he said.
The case has reignited public debate over the rise of alleged staged kidnappings in Nigeria, even as genuine abductions continue to pose serious security challenges across the country.
