Armed kidnappers abducted Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John‑Paul, the younger sister of former Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu, and her 12‑year‑old twin sons in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday morning, June 3, 2026.
The family said the trio were taken at about 7:30 a.m. while Mrs. John‑Paul was taking the boys, Peter and Paul, to school.
Comrade Femi Awogboro, media aide to Chief Adelabu, confirmed the abduction in a statement released on behalf of the family.
Mrs. John‑Paul, 43, is the youngest of five children of Mrs. Olufunmilayo Aduke Adegoke Adelabu. She retired from public service last year after careers at the Central Bank of Nigeria and First Bank Pension Custodian. The family said that after retiring she moved to Ibadan with her children and had been preparing to join her husband, Mr. John Paul, who is already in the United States.
Security agencies were alerted immediately after the kidnapping, the statement said, and the family expressed confidence in ongoing efforts to rescue Mrs. John‑Paul and her sons.
“We are pleased to confirm that security operatives have swung into action and preliminary investigations have commenced in earnest,” the statement read.
The Adelabu family appealed to the public to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing useful information that could aid the rescue operation.
They also requested privacy during the difficult period as law enforcement authorities intensify efforts to locate and safely recover Mrs. John-Paul and her children.
The incident has heightened concerns over the growing wave of kidnappings and violent crimes in parts of Oyo State and across Nigeria, with residents calling for stronger security measures to safeguard lives and property.
As of the time of filing this report, no group had claimed responsibility for the abduction, while security agencies had yet to issue an official statement on the development
