Olusegun ARIYO
A Magistrate Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has remanded the disqualified APC governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Abimbola Olajumoke, in prison custody for one month over allegations of defamation, cyberbullying and kidnapping in a case instituted by the Chief Executive Officer of YSJ Agro-Allied Limited, Mrs Yemisi Joluwe.
Chief Magistrate Abayin Adeosun had earlier granted Olajumoke bail but subsequently revoked the bail after she failed to appear in court at the next adjourned sitting, leading to her arrest and detention.
He adjourned the case till September 15.
When contacted by telephone, the plaintiff, who is the CEO of YSJ Agro-Allied Limited, Mrs Yemisi Joluwe, said her decision to approach the court was aimed at seeking justice for the alleged damage to her reputation and the harm caused to members of her staff by the actions of the defendant.
She said: “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.
“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 whether the case would distract her from the company’s programmes, Joluwe said the day-to-day operations of the company had not been affected, adding that YSJ Farms remained fully focused on its agricultural mandate and on delivering quality produce to the market.
She said: “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.
“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.
“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.”
Speaking on reports concerning a kidnapping incident on the farm, Joluwe confirmed that the company maintains a strong partnership with security agencies to ensure the safety of its staff and management.
She said: “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.
“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.”
