Police name suspects in abduction of Adelabu’s sister, reveal how they tracked the family

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The Police in Oyo State have revealed details of how they rescued the kidnapped sister of ex-power minister, Adebayo Adelabu, and her 11-year-old twin sons on June 6. The Police said they had monitored the family for weeks before the attack.

The Oyo State Police Command revealed that the kidnappers had monitored the family for several weeks before carrying out the crime, carefully studying their movements, vehicles, and daily routines.

Commissioner of Police Abimbola Olugbenga disclosed this on Sunday while briefing journalists at the Command Headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, and during an inspection of the gang’s hideout at Araromi Quarters, Ayegun North, in Oluyole Local Government Area.

According to the police commissioner, investigations showed that the suspects gathered intelligence on the family, including the school schedules of the children, before abducting Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, Adelabu’s younger sister, and her twin sons, Peter and Paul, on June 3, 2026.

Also, a statement signed by DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, Police Public Relations Officer, noted that the rescue operation led to the killing of two of the suspected kidnappers and the arrest of four others during a raid on their hideout in Lado, Ayegun area of Ibadan.

The victims were abducted on June 3 at Elewura Street off Ring Road by four armed men in an unregistered ash-colored Toyota Corolla while being driven to school, police said.

Police said operatives of the Force Intelligence Department-Intelligence Response Team, FID-IRT, and Oyo State Command tracked the gang after arresting Wale Abolalewa, alias “Oloro,” who was on a watchlist for related crimes. Interrogation led to Dare Oyedele, alias “Solution,” described as a key link in the syndicate.

Acting on intelligence, tactical teams stormed the Lado hideout about 7:30pm June 6. Police said a suspect identified as “Kelechi,” who traveled from Lagos and was posted as a lookout, opened fire. Officers returned fire, killing Kelechi and one unidentified gang member. The victims were rescued unhurt and reunited with their families.

Police arrested two more suspects, Semiu Ishola, 39, and Adeyemi Ayobami, 35, accused of providing the hideout.

Recovered items include 3 pump-action guns, 14 live cartridges, the Corolla used in the abduction, 2 face masks, a battle axe, a hammer, suspected hard drugs, and a criminal charm, police said. Oloro and Solution are assisting investigations to track fleeing members believed to have escaped with gunshot injuries.