IBADAN, NIGERIA — The Nigeria Police Force has officially confirmed the successful, safe rescue of Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, the younger sister of the former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, alongside her twelve-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul. The high-stakes operation was executed seamlessly by a specialized tactical team in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, bringing a definitive and victorious end to a high-profile abduction case that had gripped the nation and generated severe anxiety across the southwestern region.
The three victims, who were violently abducted by an armed gang on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, were rescued entirely unharmed at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 6, 2026. The liberation of the hostages was achieved through a meticulously planned, intelligence-driven breakthrough engineered by elite operatives attached to the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT). The specialized command structure had been deployed to Oyo State with a specific directive to neutralize the criminal syndicate and ensure the survival of the captives.
According to institutional briefings released by the national police headquarters, the initial kidnapping occurred during the early morning hours of June 3, when Mrs. John-Paul was driving her children to their local school. Armed men intercepted her vehicle along a suburban transit corridor, forcing the mother and her young sons into a waiting getaway vehicle before speeding off into the dense forest reserves surrounding the metropolitan borders of Ibadan.
Confirming the successful resolution of the security crisis in an official press release issued on Saturday night, the Force Public Relations Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police Anthony Okon Placid, stated that the rescue was the direct culmination of days of intensive, round-the-clock intelligence gathering, electronic surveillance, and strategic tactical positioning. The operational blueprint was designed to systematically isolate the kidnappers without inadvertently compromising the physical safety of the vulnerable hostages.
The police spokesperson revealed that high-tech investigators successfully mapped the geographic movements and cellular footprints of the abductors as they attempted to shift positions within their rural hideouts. This continuous tracking eventually enabled the FID-IRT operatives to pinpoint the exact location of the criminal encampment, leading to an immediate, aggressive tactical intervention by federal forces.
As the elite police operatives closed in on the identified location, they faced immediate, heavy gunfire from members of the criminal gang, resulting in a fierce gun battle in the brush. During the intense exchange of kinetic fire, two of the suspected kidnappers were fatally wounded by police marksmen, while the remaining members of the syndicate abandoned their position and scattered into the surrounding wilderness. Following the clearance of the immediate battlefield, the tactical team recovered two functional military-grade assault rifles along with multiple rounds of live ammunition left behind by the fleeing criminals.
DCP Placid clarified that the successful rescue was achieved strictly through sustained intelligence gathering, continuous covert surveillance, and disciplined tactical operations. These combined law enforcement efforts enabled field investigators to effectively track the kidnappers’ movements through difficult terrain, resulting in a direct confrontation with FID-IRT operatives where the state successfully asserted its overwhelming firepower.
The police hierarchy confirmed that Mrs. John-Paul and her twin sons were rescued alive, alert, and fundamentally unharmed by the crossfire. Immediately following their extraction from the forest, they were placed into highly secure state custody and transported to a specialized medical facility. At this location, they are currently receiving comprehensive clinical evaluations, psychological counseling, and the necessary familial support systems to help them recover from the trauma of their three-day captivity.
Reacting to the successful outcome, the Inspector-General of Police issued a statement commending the exceptional professionalism, operational courage, and physical resilience displayed by the FID-IRT operatives and the local Oyo State officers involved in the raid. The police chief noted that their unwavering commitment to public safety and tactical discipline was instrumental in ensuring that the hostages were brought home alive without the payment of any criminal ransoms.
Meanwhile, federal security agencies have significantly intensified their joint operations across Oyo State and neighboring regions to track down and apprehend the remaining members of the kidnapping syndicate who managed to escape the initial dragnet. Preliminary intelligence reports compiled by field medics and forensic teams indicate that several of the fleeing suspects sustained severe, potentially debilitating gunshot wounds during the initial confrontation with the tactical team. Ongoing operations are heavily focused on monitoring local medical clinics, native healing homes, and rural communities to identify, isolate, and arrest any individuals connected to the abduction ring.
In a separate, concurrent press statement, Chief Adebayo Adelabu's personal Media Aide, Comrade Femi Awogboro, validated the operational reports, confirming to the public that the family members had indeed been restored to safety. Awogboro stated that the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State has formally communicated with the family, confirming that the abducted victims have been rescued and are completely safe, healthy, and unharmed.
The media aide expressed profound, heartfelt appreciation to the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force, collaborating paramilitary organizations, members of the press corps, political associates, and local community stakeholders who provided unyielding institutional support and moral solidarity throughout the brief but harrowing ordeal. The Adelabu family noted that the swift, decisive action of the state intelligence services has successfully restored peace to their household, reinforcing public confidence in the capacity of national security institutions to combat domestic terrorism and organized crime.
