IBADAN, Nigeria — Gunmen have kidnapped the younger sister of Nigeria’s former Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, along with her 12-year-old twin sons in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The incident occurred at approximately 07:30 BST on Wednesday, 3 June 2026, in the Challenge area of Ibadan South West Local Government Area.
The 43-year-old victim, Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, was reportedly ambushed while driving her twin sons, Peter and Paul, to school. The gunmen forcefully seized the mother and both children before fleeing the scene.
Femi Awogboro, a media aide to Mr. Adelabu—who is currently a leading 2027 governorship aspirant for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State—confirmed the abductions in a formal statement issued on Wednesday.
A Family Distressed
According to the family, Mrs John-Paul had recently taken voluntary retirement after working for the Central Bank of Nigeria and First Bank Pension Custodian.
Following her retirement last year, she relocated to Ibadan with her children and was making final preparations to join her husband, who had already moved to the United States.
“Adebayo Adelabu and the entire family are deeply distressed by this tragic development,” the statement read. “But [we] remain hopeful and confident in the capacity of the security agencies to secure the safe release of Mrs John-Paul and her children.”
The family has appealed to the public for prayers and urged people to avoid spreading unverified speculation that could jeopardize ongoing rescue efforts.
Oyo State Faces Growing Kidnapping Wave
The Oyo State Police Command stated they are working to independently verify all details surrounding the morning ambush. Meanwhile, family representatives confirmed that law enforcement and state security agencies have launched a coordinated search-and-rescue operation.
The high-profile abduction is the latest in a series of violent kidnappings that have heightened anxieties across Oyo State:
- The School Raid: Less than three weeks ago, on 15 May 2026, more than 40 students and teachers were kidnapped during a raid by armed bandits at Ahoro-Esiele in the Oriire Local Government Area of the state.
- The Political Ambush: In December 2025, Wale Oriade, a local chieftain of the ruling APC, was snatched by gunmen from his office along the Akala Expressway in Ibadan and whisked away in a blue getaway vehicle.
The precision of these recent urban and rural attacks has caused deep concern among residents, prompting intense pressure on local authorities to reverse the worsening security situation in southwestern Nigeria.
Add Comment