Armed men intercepted and kidnapped Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, the younger sister of Nigeria’s former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, alongside her 12-year-old twin sons in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The incident 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. The 43-year-old victim was driving her twin sons, Peter and Paul, to school when the gunmen forcefully took them away.
The family formally confirmed the incident through an official statement issued by Adelabu’s media aide, Femi Awogboro. Awogboro stated that security and law enforcement agencies were notified immediately and have launched preliminary investigations to track down the abductors.
"Chief Adebayo Adelabu and the entire family are deeply distressed by this tragic development but remain hopeful and confident in the capacity of the security agencies to secure the safe release of Mrs. John-Paul and her children," Awogboro said in the statement.
The former minister's family appealed to the public for calm and cooperation, urging people to avoid spreading unverified updates that could undermine rescue operations. They also requested well-meaning Nigerians to assist with prayers and share any actionable intelligence with the appropriate authorities.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Oyo State Police Command, Ayanlade Olayinka, indicated that the command was tracking the situation but could not independently verify all details immediately.
This abduction comes amid heightened anxiety over regional security, occurring just weeks after a mass kidnapping of students and teachers in the Oriire Local Government Area triggered widespread protests across the state.