The Oyo State Police Command has rescued a United States-based medical doctor from a mob attack following a false kidnapping allegation in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The command disclosed the development in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Ayanlade Olayinka.
According to the police, the incident occurred at about 2:30 p.m. on Monday around the 2nd Powerline Area, Ologuneru, along the Eleyele-Ido Road.
The statement explained that officers responded to a distress call reporting that a suspected kidnapper was being attacked by an angry mob and was on the verge of being lynched and set ablaze.
Police said a combined team of patrol and detective officers led by the Divisional Crime Officer of Eleyele Police Station swiftly moved to the scene and rescued the victim from the mob.
However, before security operatives arrived, the victim’s Lexus RX 330 SUV had already been burnt by the crowd.
Two young girls identified as Deborah, 15, and Rebecca, 12, who were found inside the vehicle, were also taken into protective custody alongside the victim for investigation.
Preliminary investigations by the police revealed that the victim, identified simply as Dr. Afolabi, is a medical doctor based in the United States and not a kidnapper as widely alleged in viral social media reports.
The police further stated that the two girls had been legally released to the doctor by one Mrs. Idowu Abimbola, 56, of the Eleyele area of Ibadan, with the intention of taking them to the doctor’s mother to assist with domestic chores.
According to the statement, Mrs. Idowu later visited the police station and confirmed the arrangement, while the two girls also corroborated her account during questioning, effectively dismissing the abduction claims.
The police said the misunderstanding began when Dr. Afolabi attempted to enter through the Polytechnic gate and was stopped by a security guard for routine checks.
“Upon lowering the vehicle’s window glass, the two girls were allegedly seen half-naked, a situation which immediately aroused suspicion among bystanders and security personnel,” the statement noted.
Police added that the doctor’s inability to provide satisfactory explanations at the scene, coupled with his decision to leave the checkpoint, heightened suspicion among residents.
The situation reportedly worsened because the girls could neither speak the local language nor communicate properly in English, fuelling fears of kidnapping.
The false alarm eventually triggered a mob chase, during which angry youths intercepted the doctor, ignored his explanations, and physically assaulted him, inflicting serious injuries before the police intervened.
Afolabi was subsequently taken to the police medical services facility for urgent treatment and is said to be responding to medical care.
The command disclosed that statements had been obtained from eyewitnesses, including an okada rider allegedly injured during the confusion, while efforts were ongoing to identify and arrest those involved in the mob attack and destruction of property.
The Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Abimbola Olugbenga, condemned the mob action and the spread of false information capable of creating tension and undermining security in the state.
He warned residents against jungle justice, self-help, and the circulation of unverified reports on social media, stressing that such actions threaten public peace and order.
The commissioner also ordered a full-scale investigation into the incident and directed the arrest and prosecution of all individuals involved in the attack.
