A magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti has ordered the remand of Abimbola Olajumoke, the disqualified All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant, to prison custody for one month. The ruling stems from allegations of defamation, cyberbullying, and kidnapping brought against her by Yemisi Joluwe, the chief executive officer of YSJ Agro-Allied Limited. Chief Magistrate Abayin Adeosun initially granted Olajumoke bail, but the decision was reversed when she skipped the next scheduled court session, prompting her arrest and detention.
Reached by phone, Joluwe framed her legal action as a pursuit of justice, citing reputational harm to herself and distress inflicted on her staff. She emphasized that her company welcomes critique but draws a firm line at calculated falsehoods. “At YSJ Farms, we have always welcomed constructive feedback and public scrutiny, as they help us grow and serve our community better. However, there is a clear distinction between a genuine complaint and a deliberate, malicious attempt to destroy a company’s hard-earned reputation,” she said. “We filed this petition because the statements made by Abimbola Olajumoke were not only blatantly false but were specifically engineered to damage our corporate integrity. We have a duty to our investors, our employees and our customers to fiercely protect the YSJ brand from baseless slander.”
When asked if the legal battle would derail operations, Joluwe insisted the company remains fully operational and committed to its agricultural mission. She acknowledged the distraction caused by amplified false narratives but framed the lawsuit as a strategic reassurance to partners. “When false narratives are heavily amplified, it forces us to spend valuable time reassuring our stakeholders and partners. This lawsuit is actually a reassurance to those partners. It sends a strong message that our foundation is solid, our operations are transparent, and we will not allow anyone to compromise the trust we have built in the agricultural sector over the years, including its impact on the empowerment of youths in Ekiti State,” she explained.
Her demands are straightforward: a formal retraction, a public apology, and damages for the harm inflicted on the brand. She stressed the broader implications of the case, particularly in an age of instant communication. “Our primary goal is very simple: the complete restoration of the truth. We are seeking a formal retraction, a public apology and appropriate damages for the harm caused to our brand. Beyond YSJ Farms, this is about setting a standard for accountability,” she said. “In this era of social media and instant communication, people must understand that words have weight and consequences. You cannot try to dismantle a legitimate business through falsehoods and expect to walk away unchallenged. We trust the judicial system to uphold the truth and set the right precedent.”
Addressing reports of a kidnapping incident on the farm, Joluwe confirmed that security agencies are actively investigating Olajumoke’s alleged role. She reiterated that the safety of staff remains paramount and that the company works closely with authorities to maintain secure environments across its operations. “Let me be absolutely clear: YSJ Farms is an agricultural enterprise dedicated to empowering Ekiti youths and boosting food security. Security agencies are investigating the alleged involvement of Abimbola Olajumoke in the kidnapping and murder of our staff. We are determined to follow the process to a logical conclusion,” she said. “The safety of our pioneer participants and new intakes is our absolute number one priority. The moment these malicious rumours surfaced, we immediately moved to reassure our workers and their families. We work very closely with local security agencies and the Ekiti State Government to ensure that all our farm clusters are secure environments. Our youths are currently at the farms, working diligently and earning their honest pay, and we are glad that the partnership is yielding positive results for Ekiti youths.”
