Canada-based Pastor Tayo, who runs the Facebook page Pastor Tayo Ministries, has removed posts that linked gospel singer Tope Alabi to the death of fellow artiste Toluwanisings. We checked the page at 8:30 AM on 26 October and found every post referencing Tope Alabi gone. The move came after Tope Alabi’s lawyers at Oakmount Legal Practitioners sent a cease-and-desist letter on 24 October giving 24 hours to take the posts down, retract the claims and issue a public apology.
The letter said the posts, published between 20 and 24 October, accused Tope Alabi of murder and ritual killing in connection with Toluwanisings, whose real name was Olayemi Bayonile Bolaji and who died on 14 October at age 41. Tope Alabi shared the letter on Instagram and tagged the Nigeria Police Force. Pastor Tayo has not posted the required public apology and continues to post other content.
No police report or court finding has linked Tope Alabi to the death. The family of Toluwanisings has not stated a cause.