Residents of Ibadan were thrown into panic on Wednesday after gunmen reportedly abducted the younger sister of former Minister of Power and All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant in Oyo State, Adebayo Adelabu, along with her twin sons.
The victims were said to have been kidnapped in the Challenge area of Ibadan South-West Local Government Area while travelling from the Elewura axis to connect with the expressway.
A video circulating online from the scene showed a damaged red sedan abandoned by the roadside, with its doors left open and the driver’s side window shattered. Broken pieces of glass littered the ground as scores of residents gathered around the vehicle, examining the scene and discussing the incident.
In the footage, a visibly distressed woman identified the victim as Adelabu’s younger sister, referring to the former minister by his popular nickname, “Penkelemesi.” Another resident was heard confirming that the abducted woman was the last-born in Adelabu’s family.
Confirming the incident, one of Adelabu’s media aides, Femi Awogboro, said the former minister’s sister and her twin children, identified as Peter and Paul, were seized by armed men during the attack.
According to him, the family members were on their way out of the area on Wednesday morning when the assailants intercepted them and whisked them away to an unknown destination.
Efforts to obtain an official confirmation from the police were inconclusive as the spokesperson for the Oyo State Police Command, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said he could not immediately verify the report.
“I cannot independently verify this for now, but please hold on,” he said.
The latest abduction has heightened concerns over insecurity in parts of Oyo State, coming barely weeks after more than 40 teachers and students were reportedly kidnapped during an attack in the Ahoro-Esiele community of Oriire Local Government Area.
The incident also recalls the December 2025 abduction of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Wale Oriade, who was kidnapped by armed men in Ibadan.
As of the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of Adelabu’s sister and her children remained unknown, while efforts to secure their release were ongoing.