The vice‑chairman of Ilejemeje Local Government Council in Ekiti State, Grace Ogunleye, has been remanded at the Ado‑Ekiti Correctional Centre after being arraigned on charges of conspiracy and self‑kidnapping.
Ogunleye and three others were arraigned on Wednesday before a chief magistrate’s court in Ado‑Ekiti, the state capital, following a police investigation into the circumstances surrounding an alleged abduction in May.
Sunday Abutu, the Ekiti Police Command spokesperson, said the suspects were arraigned after a “thorough investigation” into the matter. Prosecutor Akinwale Oriyimi told the court that the case file had been forwarded to the state Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice and asked that the accused be remanded pending further action.
Chief Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun ordered that Ogunleye and the three co‑accused be remanded at the Ado‑Ekiti Correctional Centre until the DPP’s advice is received and further proceedings are scheduled.
Ogunleye was first reported missing on May 20 after her vehicle was found abandoned along the Ipere–Iludun Ekiti road. Initial accounts said she had been kidnapped by gunmen shortly after leaving the council secretariat. She was later rescued unharmed in a joint operation by security operatives.
However, police investigations have since alleged that the abduction was staged. Authorities say the purported kidnapping was orchestrated to raise funds to settle personal financial obligations and outstanding political commitments. The suspects have been charged with conspiracy and offences relating to self‑kidnapping, according to court documents seen by this paper.
Pius Dada, chairman of Ilejemeje LGA, condemned the alleged conduct, describing it as “embarrassing and unacceptable.” He warned that such developments could erode public confidence in elected officials and security agencies and stressed that no public office holder would be shielded from prosecution if found culpable.
Efforts to reach Ogunleye or her legal representatives for comment were unsuccessful on Thursday. The accused remain in custody as the prosecution awaits the DPP’s advice and the court sets the next date for hearing.
The case continues to draw attention locally as residents and political stakeholders await further legal developments. As with all accused persons, Ogunleye and the co‑defendants are entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in court.
