Gunmen Abduct Former Power Minister’s Sister, Twins
Gunmen have kidnapped the younger sister and nephews of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, in Ibadan. The assailants intercepted 43-year-old Mrs Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul at approximately 7:30 a.m. in the Challenge area of Ibadan South West Local Government Area. The attackers forcefully seized her alongside her 12-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul, during the morning school run. The incident marks a bold escalation of kidnapping targeting relatives of prominent political figures within the regional capital.
The ambush occurred with striking precision on a major urban transit corridor. Eyewitnesses reported that two men riding in a silver Toyota Camry blocked the path of the victim’s wine-coloured Hyundai Sonata. One armed operative smashed the driver’s side window after the victim locked her doors to escape capture. The assailants then forced the family into their getaway vehicle and sped off toward the Molete expressway. The precision of the morning assault has triggered widespread panic among residents regarding the vulnerability of daily school commutes.
The State Police Command has deployed tactical and intelligence assets to track the fleeing operatives. Police Commissioner Olugbenga Abimbola directed the Challenge divisional head to lead the field operation and secure the transit route. Detectives are currently scouring local boundary networks and analyzing roadside intelligence to establish the direction of the escape. The state command urged residents to maintain order while formal forensic tracking continues in earnest. No criminal syndicate has publicly claimed responsibility or issued a ransom demand to the family.
The targeted family carries significant political weight within Oyo State and the national ruling party. Adelabu recently resigned his federal cabinet position under President Bola Tinubu to pursue his gubernatorial ambitions under the All Progressives Congress. The abduction represents a severe security embarrassment for state authorities trying to project an image of regional stability. Security analysts note that high-profile relatives are increasingly becoming prime targets for criminal leverage or financial extortion. The incident occurred barely weeks after a coordinated assault in Oriire Local Government Area resulted in multiple abductions.
The victim had recently changed her professional and domestic arrangements before the attack. She voluntarily retired from her corporate role at First Bank Pension Custodian in 2025 after an earlier stint at the Central Bank of Nigeria. Family sources revealed that she had relocated to Ibadan temporarily while preparing to join her husband in the United States. A family spokesperson confirmed that law enforcement agencies received notification within minutes of the ambush. The household has appealed to the public to provide useful field intelligence while refraining from spreading speculative online rumors.