The Presidency has defended the swift rescue of Olaide Adegoke, sister of former Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu, and her 11-year-old twin sons, while strongly criticising individuals questioning the success of the operation.
Adegoke and her children were abducted in Ibadan, Oyo State, on June 3, 2026, and regained their freedom three days later following a security operation that led to their rescue.
The development sparked reactions on social media, with some Nigerians comparing the quick rescue to the continued captivity of schoolchildren and teachers abducted from communities in Oyo State last month.
Responding to the criticism, the Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, condemned attempts to discredit the efforts of security agencies, arguing that such reactions undermine law enforcement personnel working to secure the release of kidnapping victims.
In a series of posts on his verified X account, @DOlusegun, the presidential aide said those unhappy with the successful rescue and eager to promote conspiracy theories were exhibiting attitudes similar to those of criminal elements.
“If you find yourself unhappy about the rescue of a woman and her children and jump on every conspiracy to try and downplay the efforts of law enforcement, just know you’re already a terrorist,” he wrote.
“You may not be carrying weapons yet, but your mindset and theirs are essentially the same.”
Olusegun further accused some critics of exploiting the kidnapping incident for political gain rather than showing concern for the victims and their families.
According to him, certain commentators appeared more interested in scoring political points against the government than celebrating the safe return of abducted citizens.
He also argued that some critics had shown little empathy for other victims of insecurity, choosing instead to use the rescue operation as a platform to attack the administration.
The presidential aide maintained that such reactions reflected a lack of compassion and humanity.
Addressing claims that supporters of President Bola Tinubu acted similarly while in opposition, Olusegun rejected the comparison, insisting that political disagreements should never result in people celebrating the misfortunes of others or diminishing the significance of successful rescue efforts.
“Never in our time in opposition did we celebrate gleefully and shamelessly the misfortunes of those who don’t agree with us. You lots are soulless, and your justification today for losing your humanity is that some people may have done it years ago,” he stated.
