A magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has discharged four suspects accused of involvement in the disappearance of Ayobami Adepoju, popularly known as Bobo, following the withdrawal of the case against them.
The defendants, Marvelous Ajibola, 17; Temitayo Jimoh, 22; Junior Lawal, 24; and Sikemi Salami, 20, were discharged on Friday.
Bobo was reportedly last seen on May 18, 2026, during the Odun Eegun masquerade festival in Ado-Ekiti. He had left his friends to buy bread but never returned.
Chief Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun struck out the case after the prosecution discontinued proceedings.
Their lawyer, Dr. Sunday Ochayi, said the Ekiti State Ministry of Justice reviewed the case and found insufficient grounds to continue the prosecution.
Ochayi alleged that radio presenter Babatunde Bamigboye, popularly known as Omo Edema, accused the suspects of involvement in Bobo’s disappearance during a radio programme. He said the allegations led to their arrest by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The lawyer added that the case file was reviewed by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Office of the Attorney-General before the decision to discontinue the case.
The suspects’ families welcomed the court’s decision, insisting that their children had been wrongly implicated.
Favour Salami, father of Sikemi, said the allegations caused significant distress to his family. Ajoke Jimoh, mother of Temitayo, said her son gave Bobo money to buy bread at the festival but did not accompany him.
Gbenga Ajibola, father of Marvelous, also welcomed the ruling and disclosed that his son was receiving treatment in a hospital.
Despite the discharge of the four suspects, Bobo’s disappearance remains unresolved, and his whereabouts are still unknown.
