Femi Awogboro, the media aide to former Power Minister Bayo Adelabu, has dismissed allegations that Adelabu's personal assistant, Ajiboye Sangogade, was involved in the kidnapping of Adelabu's sister and her twin sons. Awogboro described the claims as completely false and warned of potential legal action against those spreading the rumors.
In a statement, Awogboro rejected the accusations as a deliberate effort to tarnish Sangogade's reputation. He insisted that the aide had no connection to the abduction of Busayo Adegoke John-Paul and her 12-year-old twins, Peter and Paul. Awogboro accused those spreading the story of acting for political gain and urged them to cease circulating false information or face legal consequences.
Awogboro referenced the recent briefing by Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer Olayinka Ayanlade, noting that Sangogade's name was never mentioned as a suspect or associate of the kidnapping ring. He challenged accusers to identify any part of the police briefing where Sangogade was named, pointing out that the police spokesperson only mentioned a suspect named Segun.
He argued that the allegations are politically motivated and warned against turning every issue into a political battle. The police account, he said, has already disproven the claims. Awogboro also reminded the public that the same group had previously falsely claimed Adelabu gave the APC ticket for the Ibadan North Federal Constituency by-election to Sangogade, even though the party eventually selected Wale Olatunji as its candidate.
Awogboro urged the public and party supporters to disregard what he called repeated attempts to deceive them. He defended Sangogade's character, describing him as a person with a solid reputation and clean record. He stressed that Sangogade had no knowledge of or involvement in the kidnapping, and that the allegations are merely an attempt to destroy his image.
We completely reject the claim because we know he neither knows nor played any role in the incident being speculated about. Any further attempt to tarnish Sangogade's image and reputation will be strongly resisted, and the camp will ensure that anyone found responsible is brought to justice, Awogboro added.
The kidnapping occurred in the early hours of June 3, when Busayo Adegoke John-Paul and her twin sons were abducted by armed men in Ibadan. The victims were taken at Elewura-Challenge in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area after gunmen reportedly followed the vehicle carrying them from their home and intercepted it around 7:30 am.
Four suspects linked to the abduction were later arrested and presented to the public by Oyo State Commissioner of Police Oluwagbemiga Abimbola at the state police headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, on June 7. During the parade, the police chief asked residents to remain vigilant and assist security forces by reporting any members of the kidnapping network still at large.
Items recovered by police and displayed included three pump-action rifles, 14 live cartridges, an unregistered ash-coloured Toyota Corolla allegedly used in the operation, criminal charms, a battle axe, a hammer, substances believed to be hard drugs, and two face masks.
After the arrests, the Oyo State Government demolished the building linked to the suspects in the early hours of June 8 and reclaimed ownership of the land.
