How Oyo police rescued ex-Power Minister Adelabu’s relatives
By Adejayan Gbenga
The Oyo State Police Command has detailed how it rescued Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, younger sister of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and her twin sons, Peter and Paul, following an intelligence-led operation in Ibadan.
Commissioner of Police Abimbola Olugbenga disclosed this on Sunday while briefing journalists at the Command Headquarters in Eleyele and during an inspection of the kidnappers’ hideout at Araromi Quarters, Ayegun North, in Oluyole Local Government Area.
He said the victims were abducted on June 3, 2026, at about 7:30 a.m. along Elewura Street, off Ring Road, while the mother was taking her children to school. According to the police commissioner, the command immediately launched an intelligence-driven operation involving tactical units, the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) and other specialised formations, acting on directives from the Inspector-General of Police.
He explained that sustained surveillance and coordinated tracking enabled operatives to uncover links to the kidnapping syndicate and identify its operational base. Intelligence gathered during the investigation further revealed that the suspects had monitored the family for several weeks, studying their movements, vehicles, daily routines and the children’s school schedule before carrying out the abduction.
Olugbenga said operatives stormed the gang’s hideout at Araromi Quarters on June 6 at about 7:30 p.m. in a carefully coordinated rescue mission. The operation, he noted, turned violent when a gang member acting as a lookout opened fire on the police team, prompting a fierce exchange of gunfire.
The police team, however, overpowered the attackers and successfully rescued the victims unharmed. Olugbenga confirmed that Mrs. John-Paul and her twin sons were safely reunited with their family following the operation.
He disclosed that some members of the kidnapping gang escaped during the raid and may have sustained gunshot wounds. The commissioner therefore appealed to members of the public, healthcare workers, private hospitals and traditional healers to report anyone seeking treatment for suspicious gunshot injuries or presenting unusual medical cases.
Items recovered from the hideout included firearms, ammunition, an unregistered vehicle allegedly used by the suspects and other exhibits linked to the gang’s criminal activities. Olugbenga assured residents that the command would sustain operations aimed at dismantling kidnapping networks across the state, while commending the Inspector-General of Police for operational support and the Oyo State Government for its cooperation in tackling insecurity.
