Police Deny Sunday Igboho’s Role in Oyo Kidnap Victims Release

The Oyo State Police Command has officially dismissed claims circulating online that Yoruba Nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, played any role in the release of kidnapped victims in Igboho, Oorelope Local Government Area of Oyo State. Despite widespread reports that captives regained freedom shortly after Igboho issued a two-hour ultimatum to suspected kidnappers, the police said there is no official confirmation that the victims have been rescued, nor any evidence linking Igboho to any form of intervention. The controversy erupted after Igboho, in a viral video, issued a two-hour ultimatum to Fulani community leaders demanding the immediate release of abducted family members or face direct confrontation. Shortly afterwards, unverified online reports claimed the captives had regained freedom, sparking celebrations and emotional reactions among residents, with videos showing people singing and dancing in the streets.

The Oyo State Police Command countered the narrative, insisting there was no evidence confirming any rescue operation linked to the activist. “The Nigeria Police Force has officially debunked claims that the hostages have been safely released,” the command said, adding that the Oyo State Commissioner of Police had not confirmed Igboho’s involvement in any operation. Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, described the circulating reports as “unsubstantiated” and urged the public to await verified information. The Command also cautioned against relying on unverified social media reports, stressing that official investigations were still ongoing. The police confirmed they had obtained Igboho’s viral video and were reviewing it as part of ongoing investigations into his threat of action against suspected kidnappers.

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The abduction had earlier thrown the Igboho community into distress after armed men reportedly invaded the area at night, abducted members of a family, and demanded a ransom initially pegged at N300 million before allegedly reducing it to N150 million during negotiations. Tension escalated further amid conflicting claims that a pregnant woman and a ransom courier may have been killed during the incident, deepening public concern. Igboho, in widely shared videos, condemned the rising wave of kidnappings in the region and issued stern warnings to those he accused of harbouring criminal elements. In his ultimatum, delivered at the palace of the Alepata of Igboholand, Oba Joel Olawuwo, Igboho addressed Fulani leaders directly: “I give you people two hours to release the woman, her children and her sibling who were kidnapped in the middle of the night. If I don’t see them within the next two hours, we will face each other”. The activist also questioned the pattern of abductions in the area, claiming that victims of the kidnappings were predominantly Yoruba residents.

As of the time of reporting, uncertainty still surrounds the fate of the abducted family, with conflicting accounts persisting across both local and online platforms. While some reports claimed the victims had been freed and celebrations erupted in parts of the community, the Oyo State Police Command maintained its position that the circulating reports remain unverified and should not be treated as official. This is not the first time Igboho’s role in a rescue operation has been disputed. The development comes amid growing concerns over insecurity in Oyo State, particularly the continued captivity of 39 schoolchildren and seven teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area. On May 15, armed men attacked three schools in the Ogbomoso axis of the state, with two people reportedly killed in one of the affected institutions.

Police Deny Sunday Igboho’s Role in Oyo Kidnap Victims Release

Sunday Igboho Fumes as Kidnappers Kill Pregnant Woman, Ransom Bearer in Oyo

The worsening wave of violent crime across Oyo State has taken a grim turn with the reported killing of a pregnant woman allegedly abducted by suspected kidnappers, despite ongoing ransom negotiations. The incident, which has sparked outrage across the state, reportedly occurred in Igboho, Oorelope Local Government Area, where a pregnant woman, her children and a sibling were allegedly seized during a midnight raid by gunmen. According to reports, the abductors initially demanded N300 million for their release before reducing the ransom to N150 million. However, despite negotiations, the pregnant woman was allegedly killed alongside an individual who had taken ransom money to facilitate her release, while at least one victim remained in captivity.

The development triggered a furious reaction from Yoruba Nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, who accused the kidnappers of unleashing terror on residents of the community and vowed that such acts would no longer be tolerated in his ancestral home. Addressing Fulani leaders in Igboho in Yoruba, the activist expressed outrage over the killings and questioned how such an incident could occur in the town. “You can’t be kidnapping in my father’s land and expect me to keep quiet. I’m an original indigene of Igboho land,” he declared. “You kidnapped a pregnant woman, and the person who brought the ransom, you killed him and killed the pregnant woman, for what? In Igboho? You people are not even afraid of me in my father’s land?” he added. “This should be the last, and it must end. My father has urged me to address you patiently. What I’m fighting in other people’s land, you can’t come here and be doing it in my father’s land”.

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Questioning the pattern of abductions in the area, Igboho noted: “Since you have been kidnapping here, have they ever abducted Fulani? No, it’s the Yorubas they have been kidnapping, and it should not be like that. This should be the last, and let us stay in harmony”. Consequently, Igboho issued a two-hour ultimatum to Fulani leaders in Igboho, demanding the immediate release of the remaining victims. “I give you people two hours to release the woman, her children and her sibling who were kidnapped in the middle of the night. If I don’t see them within the next two hours, we will face each other,” he warned.

Igboho further claimed that investigations had traced the victims’ whereabouts to several locations linked to prominent individuals within the community. “When we first tracked that number, it led us to Alhaji’s residence and they removed them from there in the middle of the night to Bani’s compound. They took them to Baale’s compound, where they currently are,” he alleged. Rejecting any possibility of the victims’ family paying the ransom demanded by the abductors, Igboho insisted that Fulani residents should collectively shoulder the responsibility of securing the captives’ release. “We don’t have any ransom to pay. You Fulanis should raise that ransom among yourselves and pay because we don’t have such money to pay. They started from N300 million and brought it down to N150 million,” he declared. “Fulanis should contribute the ransom and get the woman, children and her sibling released. If they are killed, we will have a problem,” he warned.

Hours after the ultimatum elapsed, the victims regained their freedom, prompting celebrations across the town. Videos circulating on social media showed residents singing, dancing and rejoicing over the return of the victims. The victims, said to include a pregnant woman, her children and a sibling, were reportedly released after days in captivity. However, details surrounding the circumstances of their release remained unclear. The incident had heightened anxiety in Igboho and surrounding communities, where residents had expressed concern over recurring cases of kidnapping, killings and attacks. The abduction had generated widespread outrage after reports emerged that armed men invaded the family’s residence during a midnight raid. The development came amid growing concerns over insecurity in Oyo State, where residents have repeatedly raised the alarm over cases of abduction, killings and attacks on rural communities, prompting renewed calls for decisive action from security agencies.

Sunday Igboho Fumes as Kidnappers Kill Pregnant Woman, Ransom Bearer in Oyo

“Our Lives Are in Danger”: El-Rufai’s Wives Raise Alarm Over Surveillance, Phone Tapping

Asia Mohammed, one of the wives of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has raised a public alarm alleging that she and her co-wife, Aisattou, are under surveillance and that their phones have been compromised. Mohammed made the allegation in a Facebook post on Saturday, expressing fears for their safety and claiming that their lives were in danger. According to her, unidentified individuals are monitoring their movements and communications. “They are following me and Aisattou. Let the world know that if anything happens to us, the Government should explain. Our phones are bugged… our lives are in danger!” she wrote. The claims have since generated reactions on social media, with supporters and associates expressing concern and calling for an investigation into the allegations. However, Asia did not identify those allegedly responsible for the surveillance or provide evidence to substantiate her claims. As of the time of filing this report, no official response had been issued by government authorities regarding the allegations.

The development comes amid growing concerns over El-Rufai’s continued detention and ongoing legal battles. The former Kaduna State governor, who is a chieftain of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), has been facing legal challenges since February 12, 2026, when operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) reportedly attempted to arrest him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja after his return from Egypt. On the same day, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) invited him for questioning. Following the airport incident, El-Rufai alleged during an interview with Arise Television that the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, was behind the arrest order, claiming he knew this because he had intercepted and wiretapped the security chief’s private communications. When asked how he knew Ribadu made such a call, El-Rufai replied, “He made the call, because we listen to their calls. The government thinks that they’re the only ones that listen to calls, but we also have our ways. He made the call; he gave the order.” Pressed further, “So you tapped his phone calls…??” El-Rufai answered, “Someone tapped his phone.” When reminded that wiretapping was technically illegal, El-Rufai said he knew, but the government does it all the time, explaining that they tap calls all the time without a court order.

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The situation escalated on February 16, when El-Rufai voluntarily visited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) headquarters over allegations of financial misconduct during his tenure as Kaduna State governor. After spending two days in EFCC custody, he was transferred to the ICPC on February 18, 2026, where he underwent further questioning and his Aso Drive residence was searched. His legal team later filed a fundamental rights suit challenging his continued detention, but more legal battles followed. In April 2026, the ICPC arraigned him on a nine-count charge bordering on advance fee fraud, money laundering, and procurement violations before the Kaduna State High Court, where he was remanded in custody. On April 14, 2026, Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Kaduna granted El-Rufai bail of ₦200 million with strict conditions. However, a separate bail application at the Kaduna State High Court was rejected over concerns about his political influence.

The ICPC has defended his detention, insisting that its actions are guided strictly by the law and not politics. Commission spokesperson John Odey stated that El-Rufai remains in the commission’s custody based on a valid court remand order. “We are not detaining him on our own. We are following lawful orders. He is in our custody by court remand, so we don’t have any issues with that,” Odey said. He also rejected allegations that the anti-corruption agency was being used to pursue political objectives, maintaining that the ICPC prosecutes anyone found to have violated laws within its mandate, regardless of status or political affiliation.

El-Rufai is also facing prosecution by the Department of State Services over allegations that he authorised the wiretapping of communications linked to the National Security Adviser. In April 2026, the DSS arraigned El-Rufai before the Federal High Court in Abuja on a five-count amended charge bordering on alleged unlawful interception of communications and breach of national security. El-Rufai, who appeared before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, pleaded not guilty to all the counts. Count four of the amended charges reads: “That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, intentionally and without authorization, intercepted the communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, as admitted by you on 13th February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024”.

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According to affidavits filed by the ICPC at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, operatives said they recovered “electronic magnetic equipment capable of tapping conversations” and “sensitive security documents capable of compromising national security” during a search of his residence. The ICPC also referenced remarks allegedly made by El-Rufai on Arise Television, stating that he admitted to tapping telephone conversations of the National Security Adviser. He was asked to give consent to enable the commission access the equipment, but he refused.

The family has refuted claims about sophisticated surveillance equipment. In March 2026, his son, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, who represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency, denied reports that sophisticated phone-tapping equipment and sensitive security documents were recovered during a raid on his father’s residence in Abuja. He described the claims as false and politically driven, accusing the commission of waging a “media war rather than adhere to the rule of law.” The family rejected the list of items allegedly seized, stating that only “old discarded personal mobile phones… storage devices like flash drives and laptops” were taken from the house. “We were present when these items were seized. No equipment other than old discarded personal mobile phones, storage devices like flash drives and laptops, which are standard possessions of any 21st-century citizen, were seized from the property,” the family said. They further claimed the search warrant used for the operation was invalid and has been challenged in court. “Our lawyers have challenged this illegitimate warrant in a court of competent jurisdiction,” the statement said, adding that the warrant was obtained fraudulently.

Addressing claims that El-Rufai did not cooperate with investigators, the family said his silence was a constitutional right. “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees every citizen the right to remain silent. This is not an act of non-cooperation; it is a fundamental human right,” the statement read. Quoting the former governor, the family added, “Charge me, if you have anything against me. You have had more than 2 years to investigate me. Take me to court, please”.

In May 2026, the family also alleged that DSS operatives attempted to take El-Rufai into custody shortly after proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja, violating existing court orders directing that he remain in ICPC custody. Speaking outside the DSS facility in Abuja, Hasiat El-Rufai accused security agencies of subjecting the family to intimidation, surveillance and psychological pressure, stating: “We now live in constant fear. Every day we get a threat — DSS is coming to raid your house, ICPC is coming to raid your house, police are coming to raid your house. You are being followed. Our phones are tapped”. According to her, El-Rufai had been denied access to his personal doctors despite an earlier Kaduna High Court order granting him unrestricted access to lawyers and physicians.

Bello El-Rufai also criticized the bail conditions imposed, arguing they were excessively stringent: “Who keeps a person for 91 days? Why were the terms of the bail so stringent that it is practically impossible for anybody to meet?” He further accused the ICPC of issuing misleading statements and disclosed plans to submit a formal petition to the House of Representatives.

The El-Rufai Support Group Association (ERSGA) has also engaged Vanguard Africa, a Washington DC-based international advocacy firm, to campaign against what it described as the erosion of the rule of law and abuse of due process in Nigeria. The group described El-Rufai as “an accomplished reformer and senior statesman with decades of public service,” while rejecting the allegations against him. Speaking for the association, Mohammed Salihu said the case raised concerns about the state of democratic institutions in Nigeria: “The treatment of Governor El-Rufai is not an isolated incident; it is a symptom of a deeper crisis threatening Nigeria’s democratic institutions.” The group called on the United States Government, international democratic institutions and civil society organisations to closely monitor developments in Nigeria and defend due process, judicial independence and democratic freedoms.

“Our Lives Are in Danger”: El-Rufai’s Wives Raise Alarm Over Surveillance, Phone Tapping