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| Chief Adebayo Adelabu, the former minister of power |
IBADAN, NIGERIA — Gunmen have abducted the younger sister and twin children of the former Minister of Power and prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) 2027 governorship aspirant, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, throwing the Oyo State political circle and local residents into deep anxiety.
The violent ambush occurred at approximately 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in the Elewura area of Challenge, located within the Ibadan South West Local Government Area. Eyewitnesses reported that the victim, Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, was intercepted by heavily armed men while driving her children to school.
Video footage surfacing from the crime scene shows a red sedan left abandoned with its doors flung open, its driver-side window completely shattered, and a crowd of distressed onlookers gathering around the vehicle.
Confirming the incident in a detailed press briefing, Femi Awogboro, a media aide to the former minister, stated that the family is working directly with law enforcement agencies to track down the perpetrators.
The statement formally identified the abducted family members and clarified their background:
“The family of Adebayo Adelabu, former Minister of Power and leading governorship aspirant of APC in Oyo State, wishes to formally confirm the unfortunate kidnapping of his younger sister, Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, alongside her twin sons, Peter and Paul, in the early hours of Wednesday, June 3, 2026.”
“Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, aged 43, was reportedly abducted by armed gunmen at about 7:30 a.m. while on her way to drop her children at school in Ibadan. The abductors also forcefully took away her 12-year-old twin sons, who were with her at the time of the incident.”
Mrs. John-Paul is the youngest of five children born to Mrs. Olufunmilayo Aduke Adegoke Adelabu. Before her voluntary retirement last year, she had a distinguished corporate career, working at both the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and First Bank Pension Custodian. Following her exit from the banking sector, she relocated to Ibadan to finalize logistics to join her husband, Mr. John Paul, who currently resides in the United States.
The family media aide noted that security networks were alerted immediately after the ambush, and tactical teams are currently scouring known transit corridors out of the city.
“Immediately the incident was reported, all relevant security and law enforcement agencies were duly contacted. We are pleased to confirm that security operatives have swung into action and preliminary investigations have commenced in earnest. Efforts are currently ongoing to ensure the safe rescue of the victims and the apprehension of those responsible for this heinous crime.”
The statement further added that Chief Adebayo Adelabu and his relatives are "deeply distressed" by the harrowing development but retain confidence in the state's security apparatus. The family has urged the public to stay completely calm, avoid spreading unverified rumors online that could damage active rescue missions, and provide any reliable information to local police channels.
When reached for an official situational update, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olayinka Ayanlade, noted that official confirmation is still developing:
“I can not independently verify this for now, but please hold on.”
This high-profile abduction strikes a city already on edge from a series of structured kidnapping operations targeting both educational systems and political actors over the past several months.
May 15, 2026: A highly coordinated raid took place at Ahoro-Esiele in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, resulting in the mass abduction of more than 40 students and teachers.
December 2025: APC chieftain Wale Oriade was violently taken by gunmen at his office within the PJ Square Shopping Complex, situated adjacent to the NNPCL filling station along the Akala Expressway in New Garage, Ibadan. Witnesses at the scene noted that Oriade was forced into a blue passenger Micra vehicle by an armed team with precise execution.
Local security experts suggest that the proximity of the recent abotions near major expressway access networks highlights a deliberate tactical strategy by syndicates to maximize quick escape routes before regional border blockades can be enacted.