An Ekiti State Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Mrs. Abimbola Olajumoke Olawumi, after revoking her bail following her failure to appear in court for trial over alleged cyberstalking and death threats.
​The order marks the latest development in a high-profile saga that began with her dramatic interception in Abuja and has sparked intense political and legal fallout across Ekiti State.
Contrary to initial reports of political kidnapping, the arrest stemmed from a formal petition written to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) by Mrs. Yemisi Samuel Joluwe, CEO of agro-allied firm YSJ Limited.
Joluwe accused Olawumi of executing a targeted social media campaign on Facebook and TikTok involving blackmail, false embezzlement claims, and death threats directed at her and other local figures.
On July 22, 2026, police operatives intercepted Olawumi outside the Court of Appeal premises in Abuja where she was obtaining documents related to her suit against the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary and transferred her to the Ekiti State Police Command.
On July 23, 2026, Olawumi appeared before Chief Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun in Ado-Ekiti on a four-count charge bordering on cyberstalking and defamation under Section 398 and Section 106 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State 2021.
Defense counsel A.O. Okunade successfully secured bail on self-recognition after Police Prosecutor Samson Osobu raised no initial objection. During the scheduled hearing on July 28, 2026, Olawumi failed to appear. Her defense team claimed she was indisposed due to ill health.
Prosecutor Osobu countered the health claim, demonstrating to the court that Olawumi remained active on social media during her supposed illness, allegedly making fresh threatening posts against the complainant and state officials.
Chief Magistrate Adeosun expressed displeasure over the defendant’s breach of trust, revoked her bail on self-recognition, and ordered law enforcement to execute an immediate bench warrant for her re-arrest.
​”The Ekiti State Government categorically denies any involvement in the arrest or detention of Mrs. Abimbola Olajumoke Olawumi. Law enforcement agencies carry out their duties independently, and the state had no hand in this matter.” Dayo Apata (SAN), Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ekiti State
The state government advised the public to disregard claims attempting to link Governor Biodun Oyebanji to the police action, emphasizing that the dispute remains a personal legal matter being handled by the Nigerian Police Force and the judiciary. The case has been adjourned until August 17, 2026.
