The Nigeria Police Force has rescued Mrs Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul and her 12-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul, alive during a rescue operation carried out around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. 

According to reports, two suspected kidnappers were neutralised in a gun duel with police operatives, while two firearms were recovered from the gang.

The victims, including the younger sister of the former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, were abducted around 7:30 a.m. on June 3, 2026, while on their way to drop the children at school in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Police sources disclosed that sustained intelligence tracking and tactical pressure forced the kidnappers into a confrontation with operatives, leading to the successful rescue of the victims.

The source disclosed that security operatives are still combing nearby areas for fleeing members of the kidnapping syndicate, some of whom are believed to have escaped with gunshot wounds.

In a statement confirming her abduction, Adelabu’s media aide, Femi Awogboro, said the victims were kidnapped at about 7:30 a.m. while Mrs John-Paul was taking her children to school, leaving the family in distress.

“We are deeply distressed by this unfortunate incident but remain hopeful that the victims will be rescued safely. We appeal to the public to remain calm, avoid speculation, and support ongoing efforts with prayers,” the family’s statement read in part.

She is the youngest of five children of Mrs Olufunmilayo Aduke Adegoke Adelabu, who reportedly retired voluntarily from her career at First Bank Pension Custodian in 2025 before relocating to Ibadan with her children.

Nigerian and world women’s 100m hurdles world record holder, Tobi Amusan,on Saturday won the women’s 100m hurdles gold at the New Taipei Athletics Open in Taiwan.

Amusan struck gold ahead of Taiwanese duo Bo Ya Zhang, who settled for second place in 13.17s, and Yi Po-an took third place in 13.37s.

The 29-year-old’s winning time of 12.72s is also a new meeting record, chalking off 0.08s off the previous mark of 12.80s held by Nia Ali, US Olympic silver medalist and former world champion.

Amusan was dominant in the qualifiers for the final, blowing away the field in Heat 2, and continued the form in the final to deliver a swashbuckling race that thrilled the crowd.

She took the lead outright after the fourth hurdle, leaving Zhang behind.

The three-time Senior Africa Athletics Championship winner crossed the finish line before the last competing athlete cleared the final hurdle, to the amazement of screaming spectators.

It is the second consecutive race Amusan will break a meeting record this athletics season, she also broke her meeting record in the women’s 100m hurdles event at the Rabat Diamond League.

She has won three of five races this season, and has not failed to claim a podium finish.

The police command in Oyo state has dismissed claim that one of the schoolchildren abducted in Ahoro-Esiele, Oriire LGA, died while in captivity.

In a statement issued on Friday, the command described the report as false, misleading and designed to incite panic among residents.

The police said neither the police nor any security agency involved in efforts to rescue the abducted pupils had confirmed such development.

“The report is false, misleading, mischievous, and without any factual basis whatsoever,” the statement reads.

The command accused the authors of the report of deliberately using unverified claims and emotional narratives to manipulate public opinion and create fear.

“It is particularly disturbing that the authors of the report deliberately employed emotional narratives, speculative claims, and unverified accounts in a calculated attempt to manipulate public opinion and generate anxiety among residents,” the statement added.

The police said ongoing rescue operations are being pursued with professionalism and confidentiality, warning that the spread of false information could undermine security efforts and inflict further trauma on affected families.

The command cautioned bloggers, social media influencers, online content creators and media organisations against publishing unverified security-related information.

“The indiscriminate sharing of false reports, particularly those capable of inciting fear or causing public disorder, is irresponsible and unacceptable,” the statement said.

The police urged residents to disregard the report and rely only on information released through official channels of the Nigeria Police Force and other authorised government agencies.

The command reiterated its commitment to public safety and assured residents that verified updates on the incident would be communicated as necessary.

Several schoolchildren were recently abducted by gunmen in Ahoro-Esiele, Oriire LGA, prompting a coordinated rescue effort by security agencies.

The police said investigations and rescue operations remain ongoing.