By our reporter
Another misfortune dogged immediate past Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, as unidentified gunmen abducted one of his sisters and her 12-year-old twin sons in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, today.
Reports said the 43-year-old former employee of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBB) was making preparations to join her husband in the United States (US) soon, before the enemies of society struck.
The incident is coming few weeks after the ex-Minister, who resigned his appointment, lost the primary for governor under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a move which shocked not just him but his supporters. He lost to Sharafadeen Alli.
A press statement by one of the former Minister’s spokesmen, Femi Awogboro, gave further details of the kidnap incident, which came as teachers and pupils of schools in Oriire Local Government Area (LGA) of the State, dubbed Pacesetter State, are still languishing in the forests at the hands of terrorists following their abductions early last month.
Since Monday, labour and civil society organizations (CSOs) have maintained steady protests in Ibadan, urging official actions towards effecting the release of the victims.
President Bola Tinubu, in turn, ordered the immediate recruitment and deployment of 1000 forest guards to that end while Governor Seyi Makinde addressed the protesters yesterday, assuring of safe release of the abductees.
In the statement by Awogboro, the abducted woman was identified as Mrs Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, with the male twins identified as Peter and Paul.
According to the statement, the gunmen struck as the children’s mother was on her way to drop them (twins) at school about 7:30am.
The statement read: “The family of Chief Adebayo Adelabu, former Minister of Power and leading gubernatorial aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, wishes to formally confirm the unfortunate kidnapping of his younger sister, Mrs Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, alongside her twin sons, Peter and Paul, in the early hours of Wednesday, June 3, 2026.
“Mrs John-Paul, aged 43, was reportedly abducted by armed gunmen at about 7:30 a.m. while on her way to drop her children at school in Ibadan.
“The abductors also forcefully took away her 12-year-old twin sons who were with her at the time of the incident.
“Mrs Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul is the youngest of the five children of Mrs Olufunmilayo Aduke Adegoke Adelabu.
“Until her voluntary retirement last year, she had served meritoriously at both the Central Bank of Nigeria and First Bank Pension Custodian.
“Following her retirement, she relocated to Ibadan with her children while making preparations to eventually join her husband, Mr. John Paul, who had earlier relocated to the United States of America.”
*PHOTO CAPTION: Bayo Adelabu.
