The Vice-Chairman of Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Grace Ogunleye, has been remanded at the Ado-Ekiti Correctional Centre following her arraignment over alleged involvement in a staged kidnap.
Ogunleye was docked on Wednesday before a Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti alongside three other defendants on charges bordering on conspiracy and self-kidnapping.
The Nigeria Police Force in the state said the suspects were brought to court after the conclusion of investigations into the controversial incident that initially sparked public concern.
The police prosecutor, Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court that the case file had been forwarded to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions for legal advice. He subsequently applied for the remand of the defendants pending further directives.
Ruling on the application, the Chief Magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, ordered that Ogunleye and the co-defendants be remanded in custody at the Ado-Ekiti Correctional Centre.
The case stems from an incident on May 20, when the council vice-chair was reported missing. Her vehicle was reportedly discovered abandoned along the Ipere–Iludun Ekiti road, fuelling fears that she had been abducted by gunmen shortly after leaving the council secretariat.
She was later found unharmed during a joint security operation.
However, investigations by the police allegedly revealed that the abduction was staged, purportedly to raise funds to settle personal financial obligations and political commitments.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman of Ilejemeje LGA, Pius Dada, condemned the alleged act, describing it as “embarrassing” and capable of eroding public trust in governance.
He stressed that any public official found culpable would face the full weight of the law, insisting that no one would be shielded from prosecution.
The matter has been adjourned pending further legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
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