The younger sister of former minister of Power and governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Adebayo Adelabu, and her twin sons have been abducted by gunmen in Ibadan.
The victims, identified as Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, 43, and her 12-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul, were reportedly kidnapped in the early hours of Wednesday while she was taking the children to school.
According to a statement issued by Adelabu’s media aide, Comrade Femi Awogboro, the incident occurred at about 7:30 a.m. when armed men intercepted Mrs. John-Paul and forcefully whisked her and the children away.
The statement described Mrs. John-Paul as the youngest of the five children of Mrs. Olufunmilayo Aduke Adegoke Adelabu. It noted that she had previously worked at the Central Bank of Nigeria and First Bank Pension Custodian before voluntarily retiring last year.
Following her retirement, she relocated to Ibadan with her children and was making plans to join her husband, Mr. John Paul, who had earlier moved to the United States.
The family said security and law enforcement agencies were immediately notified of the incident and had commenced investigations aimed at rescuing the victims and apprehending the perpetrators.
It added that security operatives had already swung into action and were pursuing leads to ensure the safe release of Mrs. John-Paul and her children.
The family expressed confidence in the ability of security agencies to secure the victims’ freedom, describing the incident as a painful and distressing experience.
They appealed to members of the public to remain calm, avoid speculation, and refrain from circulating unverified information that could undermine ongoing security operations.
The family also urged anyone with useful information that could assist investigators to report it to the appropriate authorities, while assuring that further updates would be provided as developments unfold.
I feel bad for them