A 48 year old businessman from Abeokuta in Ogun State, Oloyede Shakiru Adeyemi, has raised a distress call after months of alleged threats, assault on his family and a series of violent encounters involving suspected members of a cult group.
He says his life and that of his family have been in danger since August 2023, forcing him into continuous hiding across several locations within and outside Nigeria.
Oloyede, who resides at Elega in Abeokuta, said the crisis started when he honoured an invitation to what he believed was a 20 year reunion of the alumni association of his secondary school, an event, held on August 12, 2023 in Abeokuta, where he was invited by his cousin, Pedro Babatunde.
According to him, the gathering later turned out to be an initiation ceremony and anniversary celebration of Eiye Confraternity. He narrated that he was placed in the VIP section and was being presented as a new patron without his knowledge or consent.
He said, “I was confused the moment I realised it was not a school reunion. I knew immediately I was at the wrong place.”
He added that he was forced to part with all the money on him.
“They pointed a gun at my head and forced me to pay one hundred thousand naira. They searched me and later ordered me to withdraw two hundred thousand naira from an ATM,” he said.
He explained that two members followed him to a POS point and later to an ATM gallery. When the machine failed repeatedly and they became distracted, he escaped through the fence of the government house beside the bank.
“I ran for my life. I knew I would not make it out if I returned to them,” he said.
Oloyede said he called his wife immediately and warned her to take another route home. Minutes later, he received a threatening call from an unknown number.
“They told me, ‘If you report us, we will deal with you. Our members are everywhere.’ That was when I knew the danger was far from over,” he said.
He reported the incident to the police at about 11.15pm that same day but said he became more frightened when he saw a man from the VIP section arrive at the station and receive warm salutes from officers.
“When I heard the policemen saying, ‘Oga has come,’ I quietly left. I feared he would see me and report back to the group,” he stated.
By the next morning, he said his cousin called again with threats. He moved into hiding at Orile Imo, Kobape, where a friend sheltered him.
“My life was no longer safe. My wife later called to say my cousin and his people came to our house and threatened to destroy me anywhere they see me,” he said.
On September 29, 2023, his hideout was allegedly discovered. He fled again and switched off his phone. Through another friend, Francoil, he moved to Ilara, Imeko Afon LGA, near the Benin Republic border.
He remained in hiding until November 2023 when his Canadian visa was approved. While hoping to leave the country from a neighbouring border, tragedy struck again.
On November 10, 2023, suspected cultists stormed his home in Abeokuta in search of him. His wife and children were attacked.
“They beat my wife. They forced her to unlock her phone to trace my location. My children, Sultan and Yusrat, sustained serious injuries,” he said.
His wife later contacted his younger brother, who relayed the details.
“They told my wife, ‘There is no hidden place for him. Our boys are everywhere,’” he quoted.
The businessman said he changed his lines, moved his family out of their home and relied on relatives for their medical treatment and safety.
“I lost concentration. I could not even travel or walk freely again. I lived every day in fear,” he said.
He fled Ilara again in December 2023 after a violent clash between cult groups in the area. Francoil relocated him temporarily to Kétou in Benin Republic where he maintained daily contact with his family until January 2024 when he was reminded to focus on securing his travel documents.
“I was only hoping my family would recover fully. My wife said the children were improving and urged me to proceed with travel plans before anything else happened,” he narrated.
According to him, “my wife recently received several threat messages which prompt her leaving where she hid to another undisclosed location for security reasons”.
“All I did was refuse to be part of a cult group. Now my life has been turned upside down. I need help. My family are no longer safe in Nigeria,” he said.
Oloyede appealed for protection and said he wants to start a new life away from threats.
