The Nigeria Police Force has successfully rescued Mrs Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul and her 12-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul. The operation was executed alive around 8:30pm on Saturday.
An anonymous police source revealed that operatives engaged the criminal gang in a fierce gun duel, resulting in two suspected kidnappers being neutralized and the recovery of two firearms.
The victims, who include the younger sister of former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, were initially taken by gunmen around 7:30 a.m. on June 3, 2026, while she was driving her children to school in Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to law enforcement sources, consistent intelligence tracking and tactical pressure ultimately cornered the abductors, forcing a confrontation that led to the safe recovery of the family. Security forces are currently combing the surrounding areas to apprehend fleeing members of the syndicate, who are suspected to have escaped with gunshot wounds.
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Before the rescue, Femi Awogboro, the media aide to Chief Adelabu, had released a statement confirming the abduction and expressing the family’s deep anxiety over the morning ambush.
“We are deeply distressed by this unfortunate incident but remain hopeful that the victims will be rescued safely. We appeal to the public to remain calm, avoid speculation, and support ongoing efforts with prayers,” the family’s statement read in part.
Mrs John-Paul is the youngest of five children born to Mrs Olufunmilayo Aduke Adegoke Adelabu. She had voluntarily retired from her position at First Bank Pension Custodian in 2025 before moving back to Ibadan with her family.
The abduction triggered high-level state intervention. Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde visited Chief Adelabu on Friday to offer reassurance that the state was deploying all necessary resources to secure their release.
“Yesterday, we visited my brother, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, to commiserate with him over the kidnapping of his younger sister and her children,” the governor later shared on his X handle alongside a video of the visit. “I assured him that the security agencies are working towards their safe return, and we discussed some of the measures our administration is putting in place to further strengthen our security architecture in Oyo State.”
This high-profile kidnapping occurred just weeks after a mass abduction involving over 40 students and teachers in the Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State, an incident that has sparked widespread public outrage and protests across Nigeria regarding the regional security situation.
