By Joy Yesufu
The Oyo State Police Command has alleged that a personal assistant attached to the family of former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, supplied information that aided the abduction of his sister, Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, and her 12-year-old twin sons.
The allegation was made by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, where he provided updates on the ongoing investigation into the kidnapping.
Mrs. John-Paul and her twin sons, Peter and Paul, were abducted on June 3, 2026, in the Elewura area of Ring Road, Ibadan, while she was taking the children to school.
The victims were later rescued during a police operation that resulted in the death of two suspected kidnappers.
According to the police spokesperson, the rescue mission was carried out on the directive of the Inspector-General of Police and coordinated by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police in collaboration with operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT).
Ayanlade disclosed that one of the principal suspects, identified simply as Ololu, had been on the police watch list before his eventual arrest.
He said intelligence obtained during the investigation subsequently led to the arrest of another suspect identified as Dare, also known as “Solution.”
The police further alleged that a personal assistant identified as Shehu provided critical information about the family’s movements, daily routine and lifestyle, which was allegedly used by the kidnappers in planning the operation.
According to Ayanlade, preliminary findings suggest that the kidnappers initially planned to abduct the children’s mother after monitoring the family’s activities.
However, the plan reportedly changed after the suspects discovered that the children were usually transported to school by a driver. On the day of the incident, Mrs. John-Paul personally drove the children to school, creating an opportunity that the suspects allegedly exploited.
The police spokesperson said the victims were traced to a hideout in Ibadan and rescued during an operation conducted on June 6.
He disclosed that one of the suspects, identified as Kelechi, allegedly opened fire on security operatives during the rescue mission.
“In the course of the operation, the suspects engaged operatives in a gun battle, and two of them were neutralised,” he said.
The police also confirmed the recovery of weapons during the operation, while the victims were rescued unharmed.
Ayanlade, however, noted that investigations remain ongoing and declined to provide further details that could compromise the process.
He said the arrested suspects are currently in custody, while security operatives continue efforts to apprehend other members of the kidnapping syndicate who remain at large.
The command reiterated its commitment to bringing all those connected with the abduction to justice and ensuring the safety of residents across the state.
