● Kidnap comes 20 days after Oyo school abduction that left teachers dead
Gunmen struck at dawn Wednesday, snatching Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul and her 12-year-old twin sons Peter and Paul as she drove them to school in Elewura, Challenge area of Ibadan.
The victims are the younger sister and nephews of immediate past Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu.
—“While on her way to drop her children at school”—
Femi Awogboro, media aide to Adelabu, confirmed the 7:30 a.m. attack in a statement Wednesday.
“The abductors also forcefully took away her 12-year-old twin sons who were with her at the time of the incident,” Awogboro said.
He said security agencies were immediately contacted and have “swung into action” with preliminary investigations underway.
—Family pleads for calm, prayers–
“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,” the statement read.
The family urged the public to “avoid speculation, and refrain from circulating unverified information that may jeopardize ongoing security operations.” They also requested prayers from Nigerians.
—Oyo’s security crisis deepens—
The abduction comes just 20 days after 47 students and teachers were kidnapped in Ahoro Esiele, Oriire LGA of Oyo State. Two educators died in that attack, including one in captivity.
As of press time, Oyo State Police Command had not issued an official statement on the latest kidnapping.
The back-to-back attacks have renewed fears over school safety and highway security across the state.
