Nollywood actor, Yul Edochie has distanced himself from having a relationship with a movie producer and CEO of Ason-Rich Movie Production, Henry Odenigbo.

Recall that Lagos police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin said some kidnappers were killed in a gun duel in Ladipo Mushin after receiving intelligence about their plot to abduct wealthy individuals in the state.

Hundeyin, however, didn’t disclose the identities of the slain kidnappers.

Days after the news went viral, a filmmaker and actor, Stanley Nwoko, aka Stanley Ontop, posted photos of the controversial producer, Odenigbo.

Odenigbo was alleged to be the ‘‘ringleader’’ of the kidnap gang, killed in the shootout by the men of the Lagos State Police Command.

Reacting to the development, in an Instagram video, Edochie debunked rumours that he was a friend of the deceased.

The 42-year-old actor explained that the photo of himself (Edochie) and the deceased, now being circulated, was taken in June on a movie set, adding that there was nothing more.

Edochie added that the viral photo of them was taken on a movie set at the request of the late filmmaker.

He said, “According to the police, the guy is a kidnapper. I’ve heard stories and noticed that some blogs posted my picture with him, implying he’s my friend. So, I want to state that the guy wasn’t my friend. I’ve been in Nollywood for 19 years, going on 20 years.

“I only saw this guy once when I shot a movie for him a few weeks ago. A director contracted me for a movie and paid me for a job. I even thought it was the director’s movie until I came to the set and met this guy.

“I think he called himself Ason-Rich Henry. He came to me, introduced himself as Ason-Rich Productions, and said his name was Henry.

‘‘We greeted them, I shot the movie, and on the last day of shooting, he came to me and said he was so excited that he finally got to work with me. I think he also played a role in the movie. He asked if he could take a picture with me, and I said okay. We took pictures, and I left for the next set.

“That was the first time I saw him, and I never saw him again. That’s the picture a lot of people are circulating. I understand people are circulating the picture and saying he’s my friend. He is not my friend. I got to know him as a producer, and I don’t know why people are circulating my picture,’’ Edochie said.

Odenigbo produced over ten movies in 2024 and worked with famous names, including Edochie, Kelvin Ikeduba, and Eve Esin. On Wednesday, Edochie confirmed he starred in Sharon’s Fate, one of Odenigbo’s movies.

The producer’s YouTube page shows that the movie (Sharon’s Fate) has yet to be released, but on 11 June, the deceased shared pictures on his Instagram page of himself, Edochie and other actors on a movie set.