Oyo State Police Command has said the arrest of four suspects linked to the abduction of Mrs. Olaide John-Paul, sister of former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, and her twin sons, has provided investigators with crucial intelligence into a larger kidnapping syndicate operating across parts of the state.
Gatekeepers News reports that Police authorities described the rescue operation as a major breakthrough in the ongoing fight against organised kidnapping and violent crimes in Oyo State, following the successful rescue of the victims, the killing of two suspected kidnappers, and the recovery of weapons and other exhibits used by the gang.
Speaking in Ibadan, the Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga, said the operation was carried out by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT), in collaboration with the Oyo State Police Command and other tactical units, after the victims were abducted on June 3 while travelling to school along Elewura Street, off Ring Road, Ibadan.
According to the police commissioner, investigations revealed that the kidnappers had monitored the family for weeks before carrying out the attack. Detectives uncovered evidence showing that members of the gang conducted extensive surveillance on the family, gathering information about their movements, vehicles, daily routines, and the schools attended by the children.
Olugbenga disclosed that the breakthrough came after the arrest of a suspect known as “Oloro,” who had been on the command’s watchlist for alleged involvement in similar criminal activities.
Information obtained from him reportedly led investigators to another key suspect, Dare Oyedele, popularly known as “Solution,” who is believed to have played a strategic role within the kidnapping network.
Further investigations allegedly uncovered attempts by the gang to recruit an insider connected to the household through a staff member identified as Segun. The plot was said to be part of a broader plan to obtain detailed information about the family before executing the abduction.
The commissioner said digital evidence recovered from the suspects showed photographs of the family’s vehicles, their residential environment, school locations, and other personal details used to profile and track the victims.
Armed with the intelligence, security operatives traced the kidnappers to a hideout in the Lado community area of Ayegun, Ibadan. On June 6, tactical teams stormed the location in a coordinated rescue operation.
The operation reportedly turned violent when a suspect identified as Kelechi, said to have travelled from Lagos to serve as a lookout for the gang, opened fire on security personnel. Police operatives returned fire, leading to a gun battle during which Kelechi and another unidentified suspect were killed.
Following the raid, Mrs. John-Paul and her twin sons were rescued unharmed and placed under protective custody before being reunited with their family.
Police said follow-up operations led to the arrest of two additional suspects, Semiu and Adeyemi, who allegedly assisted in securing and maintaining the hideout used by the kidnappers. The four suspects currently in custody are assisting investigators as efforts continue to track down other members of the syndicate who escaped during the operation.
Items recovered from the gang include three pump-action guns, 14 live cartridges, an ash-coloured Toyota Corolla allegedly used during the abduction, face masks, criminal charms, a battle axe, a hammer, and substances suspected to be hard drugs.
The Oyo CP appealed to hospitals, medical practitioners, traditional bone setters, and other healthcare providers to report anyone seeking treatment for suspicious gunshot wounds, noting that some fleeing suspects may have been injured during the exchange of gunfire.
Olugbenga also commended the support of the Oyo State Government in strengthening security operations and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to pursuing criminal elements and ensuring they face justice.
The abduction of Mrs. John-Paul and her twin sons, Peter and Paul, on June 3 sparked widespread concern in Oyo State. Their rescue on June 6 was welcomed by family members and residents, who praised security agencies for the successful operation.
