By Abdulahmeed Abdulrozaq Bilal | Fact Frontier.
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In a daring attack on Wednesday morning, unknown gunmen kidnapped the younger sister of a former Nigerian minister and her 12-year-old twin sons in the Elewura area of Challenge, Ibadan.
The victims have been identified as Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, 43, and her twin boys, Peter and Paul. She is the sister of Chief Bayo Adelabu, a former Minister of Power and an All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial aspirant for Oyo State in the 2027 election.
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According to family sources, the incident occurred around 7:30 a.m. while Mrs. John-Paul was driving her children to school. The assailants, who arrived in a vehicle, blocked her path, fired several shots into the air to scare away residents, and then forced her and the twins into their own car before fleeing the scene. The woman's abandoned Kia Sonata was later recovered at the location.
A media aide to Chief Adelabu, Femi Awogboro, confirmed the abduction in a brief statement. He explained that Mrs. John-Paul is the youngest of five children of Mrs. Olufunmilayo Aduke Adegoke Adelabu. A former staff member of the Central Bank of Nigeria and First Bank Pension Custodian, she had retired last year and returned to Ibadan from Lagos to reunite with her family.
Awogboro added that the family is deeply distressed but remains hopeful. "We trust that the security agencies will act swiftly to rescue the victims unharmed," he said. The family also appealed to the public to avoid speculation and to provide any useful information to the police.
The Oyo State Police Command has acknowledged the report. However, the Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, told journalists that he could not independently verify the details at the time of filing the report, adding that an investigation would be launched.
The abduction has intensified concerns over rising insecurity in Ibadan and across Oyo State. Just three weeks ago, gunmen kidnapped 47 students and teachers in the Ahoro-Esiele area of Oriire Local Government. In December 2025, APC chieftain Wale Oriade was also abducted in the state capital. These incidents have triggered public protests in Ibadan in recent days, with residents demanding urgent action from the government and security agencies.
