Conflicting accounts have emerged over the status of a family abducted in Igbope, Oorelope Local Government Area of Oyo State, as local authorities and the police have dismissed widespread claims that the victims had regained their freedom.
The controversy followed the circulation of videos on social media showing residents celebrating alongside Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.
The scenes of jubilation were widely interpreted as confirmation that the abducted family – a woman, her children, and a sibling – had been released.
The celebrations came shortly after Igboho issued a two-hour ultimatum to suspected kidnappers and Fulani community leaders in the area, demanding the immediate release of the victims.
However, authorities have insisted that the reports are inaccurate.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Chairman of Oorelope Local Government, Jacob Ogundiran, described the claims as false and urged residents to rely only on verified information.
According to him, reports suggesting that the kidnapped victims had been freed were misleading and unsupported by facts.
“The attention of the Oorelope Local Government Area leadership has been drawn to circulating rumours and unverified reports claiming the release of the kidnapping victims.
“We state authoritatively that these reports are false and misleading. The victims are still in captivity, and we urge the public to discountenance any information to the contrary unless it comes from credible sources,” the statement said.
Ogundiran said security agencies were intensifying efforts to secure the safe rescue of the victims.
He also commended community leaders, residents and other stakeholders for their cooperation and intelligence support, stressing that the protection of lives and property remains a priority for the council.
The Oyo State Police Command also distanced itself from reports of the victims’ release.
Speaking with journalists, the command’s spokesperson, Olayinka Ayanlade, said security operatives were still working to rescue the hostages and that there was no official confirmation that they had been freed.
“Whatever the activist is doing, if the said victims are still in captivity, I don’t know. Efforts are ongoing to rescue them,” Ayanlade said.
He further clarified that the abduction did not occur in Igboho town, as widely reported, but in Igbope community within Oorelope Local Government Area.
The victims were reportedly abducted during a midnight attack by armed men who invaded their residence.
The kidnappers were initially said to have demanded N300 million as ransom before later reducing the amount to N150 million.
The incident sparked outrage across the area and prompted Igboho’s intervention.
In a viral video released earlier, the activist accused some members of the Fulani community of involvement in repeated kidnapping incidents and other violent crimes in the area.
He referenced previous cases involving ransom payments and alleged killings, warning that such incidents must stop.
“The person who brought the ransom, you still killed him and spared only one person,” he said while addressing community representatives and traditional leaders.
Igboho also warned that failure to release the abducted family could lead to further action, saying he had remained calm only out of respect for appeals from traditional rulers.
“I am Sunday Igboho. I am calm because my fathers asked me to be calm with you. Let this be the last time such a thing will happen,” he declared.
Despite the celebrations that followed his ultimatum, authorities maintain that there is no evidence that the victims have been released and insist that rescue efforts remain ongoing.
