Oluwatosin Oshibanjo, a journalist and human rights activist, has reportedly been kidnapped by yet-to-be-identified individuals in Ogun State. The abduction occurred at his home in Ijebu-Ode on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.
Oshibanjo's mother, Tokunbo Bakre, revealed that her son was taken following his involvement in a human rights violation case concerning a woman and a pastor. The woman had accused the pastor of impregnating her and coercing her into multiple abortions. After refusing the last attempt to force her to abort, she gave birth to a child that she alleges the pastor fathered, a claim he has denied.
Bakre explained that Oshibanjo had published details about the dispute on his platform and had been trying to elicit a response from the pastor. She recounted that her son was abducted while he was on a phone call with his wife, taken by men who suddenly confronted him.
“My son had intervened in an issue involving a lady and one pastor who also claimed to be a doctor. To my surprise, I was informed that some persons had kidnapped my son while he was on a telephone conversation with his wife,” she said, expressing her suspicion that the kidnapping was linked to the case he was covering.
The family is in a state of panic as efforts to locate Oshibanjo have been unsuccessful; his mobile phone has remained unreachable since the incident. “This has caused tension in the family because we don’t know the condition he is in at the moment and what the abductors could do to him. I am appealing to the authorities to help me locate and rescue my son,” Bakre pleaded.
A senior police officer confirmed the report, stating that the abduction was indeed reported to the police, but could not provide further details at this time. The situation raises concerns about the safety of journalists and activists in the region, particularly those involved in sensitive human rights issues.