The Oyo State Government has demolished a residential building in Ibadan that was allegedly used by kidnappers as a detention centre for abducted victims, including the younger sister of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and her twin sons.
The property, located in the Lakoun area along Ayegun-Olojuoro Road, was pulled down days after security operatives rescued Busayo John-Paul and her 12-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul, from captivity.
The demolition came less than 24 hours after the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga, led journalists and security personnel to the site, where investigators said the victims had been held before their rescue.
Authorities said the action forms part of ongoing efforts by the state government and security agencies to dismantle criminal hideouts and enhance security across Oyo State.
A video circulating online and shared by local news platform Oyo Affairs captured the demolition exercise, which followed heightened public attention on the property after police disclosed details of the intelligence-led operation that led to the victims’ rescue.
Speaking during the inspection of the premises on Sunday, Commissioner Olugbenga revealed that preliminary investigations indicated the building had been repeatedly used by suspected kidnappers to keep abducted victims.
“There have been bringing abductees here. They bring them here, people see them, even people greet them welcome sometimes,” he told journalists.
The police chief expressed concern over what he described as a failure by residents in the neighbourhood to report suspicious activities around the property, despite its location within a populated residential community.
According to him, some of the rescued victims informed investigators that they could hear normal activities from neighbouring homes while in captivity but had no means of escaping.
Olugbenga urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly alert security agencies to unusual movements or suspicious activities, stressing that community participation is vital in combating crime.
Mrs John-Paul and her twin sons were abducted in the early hours of June 3 while she was driving the children to school in Ibadan. The incident sparked widespread concern across the state and attracted reactions from government officials, security agencies and residents.
In the aftermath of the abduction, Governor Seyi Makinde visited Adelabu and assured him that security agencies were working relentlessly to secure the victims’ release.
The victims regained their freedom on Saturday during a coordinated operation by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT).
Police authorities said the rescue was the result of days of intelligence gathering, surveillance and tactical operations that enabled officers to track the kidnappers to their hideout.
The Nigeria Police Force disclosed that two suspected kidnappers were killed during a gun battle with operatives, while firearms and other incriminating items were recovered. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the kidnapping syndicate who reportedly escaped during the operation.
