Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The family of a former governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has raised a fresh alarm over what they describe as a calculated attempt to frame her, after she was remanded over a new kidnapping allegation that her daughter insists is entirely different from the offence for which she was initially arrested.
Ololade Adeniyi, daughter of Mrs Abimbola Olajumoke Olawumi, told SaharaReporters on Saturday, August 15, 2026, that her mother was taken into custody by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Unit on Wednesday, August 6, after the unit flew from Abuja to Ekiti State to produce her before the Chief Magistrate Court 1 in Ado-Ekiti. She was arraigned the same day and subsequently remanded at the Ado-Ekiti Correctional Facility, where she has remained detained.
However, Adeniyi alleged that the charge used to obtain the fresh remand order was completely different from the offence for which her mother was initially arrested and detained. “I have now reviewed the charge sheet and noticed a very serious issue. The offence forming the basis of this second remand was completely different from the offence for which she was initially arrested and remanded,” she said.
The second remand, according to Adeniyi, followed an application by the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, dated July 28, 2026, over an allegation bordering on conspiracy to kidnap and arranging the abduction of Olaniyan Gbolahan and Kazeem Muli at Oke Ako, Ekiti State, on October 23, 2025. But the daughter questioned the circumstances surrounding the fresh allegation and the procedure allegedly used to keep her mother in custody.
She drew attention to the manner in which her mother's remand was obtained, describing the process as a concerning practice that has become common in the jurisdiction. “She was remanded using what is known as Form K, a practice that has, regrettably, become common in this jurisdiction,” Adeniyi said. According to her, the process involves bringing a suspect before a Magistrate Court that does not have jurisdiction to try the alleged offence, primarily to obtain a remand order while investigations continue and authorities await the Director of Public Prosecutions’ (DPP) legal advice.
Adeniyi also raised significant questions about the identity and circumstances surrounding one of the alleged victims, Gbolahan, whom her mother is accused of conspiring to kidnap. She noted that Gbolahan was allegedly kidnapped from a farm belonging to Yemisi Joluwe, who was also the complainant in the earlier cyberbullying matter involving her mother. “There is an apparent contradiction between the new allegation against my mother and statements reportedly made by Gbolahan after his release,” Adeniyi said.
She alleged that Gbolahan publicly stated that he was abducted by Fulani bandits operating in Ekiti State and did not identify her mother or anyone acting on her behalf as responsible for his abduction. “I have proof of this from his X page and I can provide the documents for your review,” she said, questioning how her mother could be accused of arranging the abduction when the alleged victim had publicly attributed his kidnapping to bandits.
The case has been adjourned until Monday, August 17, 2026, and Adeniyi said the family was hoping that the next court proceedings would provide an opportunity for the issues surrounding the fresh allegation and her mother's continued detention to be properly addressed. “My mother remains at the Ado-Ekiti Correctional Facility and we urgently need public attention and media advocacy on this matter,” she said.
The controversy surrounding Mrs Olawumi's legal troubles began when she was initially arrested and arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti over alleged unauthorised social media posts and transmitting threatening messages. She was later granted bail but the court subsequently revoked it, leading to her re-arrest. In a separate development, the Chief Executive Officer of YSJ Limited had admitted to ordering her arrest, alleging blackmail and cyber harassment. The YSJ boss also claimed that Olawumi was involved in an alleged plot to kidnap her and in the kidnap of some youths working at one of YSJ’s farms. However, the Ekiti State Government has categorically denied any involvement in her arrest, insisting it neither ordered nor had prior knowledge of any police action against her.
The case has drawn attention to the broader issue of the use of Form K remand orders and the circumstances under which suspects are kept in custody pending investigation. It also raises questions about the overlap between the initial cyberbullying charges and the fresh kidnapping allegation, with the daughter arguing that her mother is being targeted through a shifting series of accusations. As the case is set to resume on Monday, all eyes will be on the Ado-Ekiti court to see whether the family's concerns will be addressed and whether the new allegations will withstand scrutiny.
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