Family breaks silence, confirms kidnap of ex-CBN staff, children during school run

The political landscape of Oyo State was thrown into tension on Wednesday following the official confirmation of the abduction of Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, the younger sister of the former Minister of Power and leading All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial aspirant, Chief Adebayo Adelabu.

Mrs. John-Paul was kidnapped alongside her 12-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul, in the early hours of Wednesday, June 3, 2026, while on her way to drop the children at school in Ibadan, the state capital.

The development has sent shockwaves through the camp of the APC guber hopeful, popularly known as “Penkele,” as political stakeholders express growing concern over the security of public figures and their families ahead of upcoming political engagements in the state.

Confirming the incident in a formal statement on behalf of the family, relatives disclosed that the 43-year-old victim, who is the youngest of the five children of Mrs. Olufunmilayo Aduke Adegoke Adelabu, was intercepted by armed men at about 7:30 a.m.

Until her voluntary retirement last year, Mrs. John-Paul had served meritoriously at both the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and First Bank Pension Custodian. Following her retirement, she relocated to Ibadan with her children while making final preparations to join her husband, Mr. John Paul, who is currently based in the United States of America.

The family stated that all relevant security and law enforcement agencies have been formally notified and have swiftly swung into action, commencing preliminary investigations to ensure the safe rescue of the victims and the apprehension of the perpetrators.

While describing Chief Adebayo Adelabu and the entire family as deeply distressed by the tragic incident, the statement noted that they remain hopeful and confident in the capacity of security agencies to secure the safe release of the mother and her twins.

The family further appealed to members of the public and political supporters to remain calm, avoid widespread speculation, and refrain from circulating unverified information that could jeopardize the ongoing security operations. They urged anyone with useful information to promptly report to the appropriate law enforcement channels to assist the investigation.