THE Oyo State Police Command has arrested four suspected members of the gang linked to the abduction of Mrs. Adegoke Olaide John-Paul and her 11-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul, uncovering what investigators described as an elaborate kidnapping operation that involved seven weeks of surveillance, profiling and attempts to infiltrate the family’s household.
News Point Nigeria reports that the victims, including John-Paul, who is the younger sister of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, were rescued unharmed on Saturday after spending three days in captivity.
They were abducted on June 3 at about 7am in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, while John-Paul was reportedly on her way to drop her twin sons off at school.
In a statement sent to this newspaper on Monday, the spokesperson of the Oyo State Police Command, Ayanlade Olayinka, said the suspects had carefully monitored the family’s movements and routines for seven weeks before carrying out the operation.
According to him, investigations revealed that members of the syndicate conducted extensive surveillance on the family, photographed their activities and even attempted to recruit an insider within the household to aid the kidnapping plot.
The command said the rescue operation was carried out through a coordinated effort involving operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) and officers of the Oyo State Police Command.
During the operation, two members of the gang were killed, while one of the suspects, identified as Wale Abolalewa, popularly known as “Oloro,” was arrested.
Police said Abolalewa was already on their watchlist over related criminal activities and that his arrest provided investigators with critical intelligence that led to the unravelling of the wider kidnapping network.
Olayinka explained that information obtained from the suspect subsequently led to the arrest of another alleged gang member, Dare Oyedele, popularly known as “Solution,” who was described as a key operational figure within the syndicate.
Further investigations, according to the police, showed that the gang had made efforts in May to recruit an insider within the victim’s household through a staff member identified as Segun.
The plan, investigators said, was part of a broader strategy to gather information and monitor the family’s daily activities before launching the abduction.
Police findings indicated that the syndicate closely observed the family’s movements, routines and the schools attended by the children, carrying out detailed surveillance before striking.
Investigators also discovered that the suspects maintained photographs and records of the family’s vehicles, the school environment and their daily activities as part of efforts to profile and track the victims.
According to the command, an analysis of the suspects’ digital footprints exposed the extent of the surveillance operation and ultimately helped investigators trace the gang’s activities.
The intelligence gathered eventually led security operatives to the gang’s hideout located in the Lado Community within the Ayegun area of Ibadan.
Acting on the intelligence, operatives launched a tactical operation on Friday evening aimed at rescuing the victims and dismantling the criminal network.
Olayinka said that upon sighting the advancing security personnel, one of the gang members identified simply as Kelechi, who had travelled from Lagos State and was serving as a lookout, opened fire on the operatives.
“Upon sighting the advancing operatives, one of the gang members identified as Kelechi, who had travelled from Lagos State and was positioned as a lookout, engaged the operatives in a gun duel,” Olayinka stated.
“The operatives responded with superior tactical precision, resulting in the neutralisation of Kelechi and another unidentified member of the gang.”
The police spokesperson added that two additional suspects, Semiu Ishola, 39, and Adeyemi Ayobami, 35, were arrested for allegedly facilitating the use of the hideout where the victims were held.
A search of the location led to the recovery of several items believed to have been used by the gang in carrying out their operations.
Recovered exhibits included three pump-action rifles, 14 live cartridges, an unregistered Toyota Corolla allegedly used during the abduction, a battle axe, a hammer, face masks, substances suspected to be hard drugs and charms.
The command said efforts were ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate who managed to escape during the raid.
Police believe some of the fleeing suspects may have sustained gunshot wounds during the exchange of fire with security operatives.
As part of efforts to track down the remaining suspects, the command appealed to residents, hospitals, traditional bone setters and other healthcare providers to immediately report any individual seeking treatment for suspicious gunshot injuries.
The police assured members of the public that any information provided would be treated with the utmost confidentiality as security agencies continue their manhunt for the fleeing gang members.
The command reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety of residents and bringing all those connected with the kidnapping syndicate to justice.