The younger sister of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and her 12-year-old twin sons have been abducted by gunmen in Ibadan, Oyo State, in an incident that has heightened concerns over insecurity in the state.
According to TheCable, the victims, Olaide John-Paul and her twin sons, Peter and Paul, were kidnapped on Wednesday morning while she was taking the children to school.
In a statement issued by Adelabu’s media aide, Femi Awogboro, the 43-year-old and her sons were reportedly seized by armed men at about 7:30am.
“The abductors also forcefully took away her 12-year-old twin sons who were with her at the time of the incident,” the statement said.
Awogboro described John-Paul as the youngest of the five children of Olufunmilayo Adelabu. He noted that she previously worked with the Central Bank of Nigeria and First Bank Pension Custodian before voluntarily retiring in 2025.
Following her retirement, she relocated to Ibadan with her children while preparing to join her husband, who had earlier moved to the United States.
The family said security agencies were immediately notified and have launched efforts to rescue the victims and track down the kidnappers.
“We are pleased to confirm that security operatives have swung into action and preliminary investigations have commenced in earnest,” Awogboro stated.
He appealed to the public to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information that could hinder ongoing rescue operations.
The Oyo State Police Command also confirmed the incident and announced the commencement of an investigation.
Police spokesperson Ayanlade Olayinka said the Commissioner of Police directed the Divisional Police Officer of the Challenge Division and other tactical teams to the scene, where the victims’ vehicle was recovered.
“The Command wishes to assure members of the public that all necessary resources have been deployed to ensure the safe rescue of the victims and the apprehension of those responsible for this criminal act,” the statement said.
The police added that investigations are ongoing to uncover the circumstances surrounding the abduction and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The kidnapping comes weeks after another major abduction in Oyo State, where dozens of students and teachers were taken from schools in Oriire Local Government Area, an incident that drew national attention and condemnation.
Adelabu resigned as Minister of Power in April to pursue his 2027 governorship ambition in Oyo State.
