The Oyo State Police Command has revealed that a personal assistant attached to the family of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, allegedly provided information that helped kidnappers carry out the abduction of Adelabu’s sister, Mrs Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, and her 12-year-old twin sons.
The disclosure came as the police provided fresh details on the investigation into the kidnapping that shocked residents of Ibadan and attracted national attention.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Oyo State, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, made the revelation during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, where he explained how security operatives tracked down the suspects and rescued the victims.
Mrs John-Paul and her twin sons, Peter and Paul, were abducted on June 3, 2026, in the Elewura area of Ring Road, Ibadan. The incident occurred while she was taking the children to school.
The kidnapping sparked concern across Oyo State, especially because the victims are relatives of a prominent political figure. The incident also renewed concerns over the growing threat of kidnapping and violent crime in parts of the country.
According to the police spokesperson, the rescue operation that led to the release of the victims was carried out on the directive of the Inspector-General of Police and coordinated by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police. The operation involved officers from the Oyo State Police Command working closely with operatives of the Force Intelligence Department’s Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT).
Ayanlade said one of the key suspects in the case, identified simply as Ololu, had already been on the command’s watch list before the abduction.
He explained that police operatives had been monitoring the suspect for some time and eventually arrested him after gathering intelligence linking him to criminal activities.
“Of course, one of the perpetrators by name popularly called Ololu has been on the command’s watch list. The operatives continued to trail him until his eventual arrest,” he said.
The police said information obtained from Ololu during interrogation led investigators to another suspect identified as Dare, popularly known as Solution.
As investigations progressed, police uncovered what they described as an insider role in the planning of the crime.
According to Ayanlade, a personal assistant identified as Shehu allegedly supplied the kidnappers with important details about the family’s daily activities, movements and routines.
The police spokesperson said the suspect was familiar with the household and allegedly provided information that helped the kidnappers determine the best time and method to carry out the operation.
“The one who was with the family, who happened to be a personal assistant by name Shehu, was one of those who we picked. He was the one that was first approached to give them inside information of how the family lives, their lifestyle, their routine and all,” Ayanlade stated.
The revelation has raised fresh concerns about the role of insiders in kidnapping operations. Security experts have repeatedly warned that many abduction cases are aided by individuals who have direct knowledge of their victims’ movements and personal schedules.
The police further disclosed that the kidnappers initially planned to abduct Mrs John-Paul but later changed their strategy after observing the family’s routine.
According to investigators, the suspects discovered that a driver usually transported the children to school and decided to target the children instead.
However, circumstances changed on the day of the incident when Mrs John-Paul personally drove the twins to school.
“The initial plan was to kidnap the mother. However, they realized that it was the driver who usually takes them to school, and they changed their plan to go for the kids. Unfortunately, that day it was the mother who drove them to school, and they swung into action,” Ayanlade explained.
Following the abduction, security agencies launched an intensive search operation to locate the victims and identify those responsible.
After days of intelligence gathering and surveillance, operatives traced the victims to a hideout within Ibadan on June 6.
The rescue operation was carried out at about 7:30 p.m. and resulted in a gun battle between the suspects and security operatives.
According to the police, one of the suspects, identified as Kelechi, had travelled from Lagos to participate in the kidnapping operation.
Ayanlade said the suspect opened fire on security personnel when they stormed the hideout.
The police responded and engaged the kidnappers in a shootout.
“They opened fire on the operatives, and then the operatives professionally and with tactical precision neutralised him and the second, who was also there to give a covering fire for him,” the police spokesman said.
Two suspected kidnappers were killed during the operation, while others reportedly escaped.
The police said weapons were recovered from the suspects and that the victims were rescued unharmed.
Mrs John-Paul and her children were subsequently reunited with their family, bringing relief to relatives and well-wishers who had anxiously followed developments since the abduction.
The successful rescue has been praised as another example of the growing use of intelligence-led policing in tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes.
Kidnapping for ransom has remained one of Nigeria’s major security challenges in recent years. Criminal gangs operating across several states have targeted schoolchildren, travellers, community leaders, business owners and politicians’ relatives.
Security agencies have increasingly emphasized intelligence gathering and collaboration among different units as key strategies in combating the menace.
Despite the success of the operation, the police said investigations are still ongoing and more arrests are expected.
Ayanlade stressed that detectives were continuing efforts to identify and apprehend all individuals linked to the crime.
“I would not want to preempt the investigation. The investigation is still ongoing. The suspects are in custody. We are still on the trail of the rest of them that escaped,” he said.
He added that investigators were working to uncover the full network behind the abduction and determine whether other individuals played supporting roles.
The Oyo State Police Command has assured residents that it remains committed to protecting lives and property and bringing all those involved in the kidnapping to justice.
The case has once again highlighted the dangers posed by insider collaboration in criminal activities and underscored the importance of vigilance, background checks and security awareness among families and organisations.