The Vice Chairman of Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Mrs Grace Ogunleye, has been rescued unharmed after she was abducted by suspected gunmen along the Ipere–Iludun Road in the state.
Ogunleye was reportedly kidnapped on Wednesday while returning from an official engagement. Sources disclosed that her vehicle was later found abandoned by the roadside, sparking concerns over her safety and whereabouts. Efforts to contact her through her mobile phone proved unsuccessful as the line was switched off shortly after the incident.
It was gathered that the council official had earlier visited the Ilejemeje Local Government Secretariat before heading towards Ido Ekiti when armed assailants allegedly intercepted her vehicle and whisked her away to an unknown destination.
Confirming the abduction, the Director of Information and Civic Orientation for Ilejemeje Local Government Area, Mr Falade Sunday, said security agencies had been alerted and were working to secure her release. The spokesperson for the Ekiti State Police Command, Sunday Abutu, also confirmed the incident.
However, in a subsequent update, the police announced that Ogunleye had been rescued through a coordinated security operation involving the police, military, other security agencies and local security personnel.
In a statement, the police said: “One Mrs Ogunleye Grace, the Vice Chairman of Ilejemeje Local Government, who was allegedly kidnapped on 20th May, 2026 by yet-to-be-identified hoodlums, has been rescued unhurt. The breakthrough came as a result of a joint operation by the Police, the Military and other security agencies as well as the local security personnel, who embarked on a rescue mission and mounted pressure on the hoodlums.”
The Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Falade Adegoroye Michael, has directed a full-scale investigation into the abduction, with security operatives continuing efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible for the crime.
Story Source: The Cable
