The Oyo State Police Command has disclosed details of how a kidnapping syndicate meticulously planned and executed the abduction of the younger sister of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, along with her twin sons. According to police, the criminal gang spent weeks monitoring the family, studying their daily routines, and even attempted to recruit an insider within the household before carrying out the operation.
Police Briefing on Abduction
Addressing journalists in Ibadan, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ayanlade Olayinka, stated that the victims, Olaide Busayo Adegoke, 42, and her 11-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul, were abducted on 3 June while she was taking the children to school. Mr Olayinka, a deputy superintendent of police, explained that four armed men in an unregistered ash-coloured Toyota Corolla intercepted the victims at Elewura Street, off Ring Road, Ibadan, around 7:30 a.m. and whisked them away.
Investigation Reveals Premeditated Crime
The command said investigations showed that the kidnapping was not a spontaneous crime but the result of carefully coordinated surveillance. The police spokesperson disclosed that in May, the syndicate attempted to penetrate the family’s inner circle by seeking to recruit a staff member identified only as Segun. “The gang monitored the family’s movements, routines, and the schools attended by the children as part of a wider surveillance and reconnaissance operation,” Mr Olayinka said.
Investigators later uncovered extensive digital evidence showing that the suspects had photographed the family’s vehicles, the school environment, and other aspects of their daily lifestyle in preparation for the abduction.
Rescue Operation and Arrests
Acting on directives from the Inspector-General of Police, a joint operation involving the Force Intelligence Department-Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT), the Oyo State Police Command, and other tactical units was launched to track down the kidnappers and rescue the victims. The breakthrough came after operatives arrested a suspect, Wale Abolalewa, known as “Oloro”, who was already on the command’s watchlist for related crimes. His arrest led investigators to another key suspect, Dare Oyedele, also known as “Solution”.
Information from the suspects, combined with intelligence analysis and surveillance, enabled operatives to identify the gang’s hideout at Lado Community in Ayegun area of Ibadan. The rescue operation was launched on 6 June at about 7:30 p.m. During the raid, one gang member, Kelechi, who had traveled from Lagos State and was acting as a lookout, opened fire on advancing operatives. Officers responded, leading to a gun battle in which Kelechi and another unidentified gang member were killed.
Victims Rescued Unharmed
Following the clearance of the hideout, Mrs Adegoke and her twin sons were rescued unharmed and placed in protective custody before being reunited with their family. The command recovered three pump-action rifles, 14 live cartridges, the Toyota Corolla used in the abduction, a battle axe, a hammer, face masks, suspected hard drugs, and criminal charms.
Police added that efforts are ongoing to arrest other syndicate members believed to have escaped with gunshot wounds. The command urged hospitals, medical practitioners, and traditional bone setters to report anyone presenting suspicious gunshot injuries to help apprehend fleeing suspects.
