Kidnappers in Ibadan and the Long Story of Ogbomoso Terrorists

The abduction of Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John‑Paul and her 12‑year‑old twin boys unfolded over just three days, from Wednesday to Saturday. Those tense days added pressure on a federal government that many now view as incompetent. Abuja, for many, had failed to uphold the fundamental promise of the social contract: the safety and welfare of its citizens.

Earlier, Nigerians were enraged by the terrorists in the Oriire community in Ogbomoso LGA, who released a second video showing two female captives with a gun barrel pointed at them, pleading with authorities not to storm the forest where 46 hostages were being held.

Stirred by that footage and reports of further abductions across the country, the Nigeria Union of Teachers and other civil society groups threatened civil disobedience. They aimed to protest the abduction of pupils, students and teachers in Ogbomoso. By the fourth week of the abductions, new footage emerged from the forest featuring Mrs. Folawe Alamu.

Neither the Oyo state government nor Abuja had made progress in negotiating with the terrorists holding her and 45 others, one of whom had died. Many Nigerians felt the authorities were more concerned with the upcoming election than with the kidnappings. The Ibadan case temporarily diverted attention until the latest footage of Mrs. Alamu brought Ogbomoso back into the headlines. Terrorists now seem to play games with Nigerian emotions.

The incident involving Mrs. John‑Paul began as a rumor. Social media posts showed an abandoned vehicle in which she had been driving her children to school. The car doors were flung open, and a background image identified the vehicle of her abductors. A voice narrated that the occupants of the abandoned vehicle had just been kidnapped. The drama, unfolding in broad daylight in the city, seemed surreal and unbelievable, almost like a low‑budget viral clip. In other circumstances, such a story might be dismissed as sensationalism.

Examples abound. When a road or air rage incident is reported, it often resurfaces in the press for days or weeks, as if reporters and readers are only now noticing such events. The Ibadan case initially appeared similar, but it was soon confirmed as true, heightening tension nationwide. Schools in Ibadan shut down the following Thursday, the same effect the Ogbomoso terrorists sought by attacking schools, and vehicular movement was disrupted by street protests. Meanwhile, police worked behind the scenes to rescue the abductees, who were revealed to be the sister and nephews of former minister of power Adebayo Adelabu, a retired Central Bank staffer who rose to deputy governor.

No demands were made by the Ibadan kidnappers, and they did not contact the family. As would become clear after their arrest, they were desperate to keep authorities off their trail. They were still in this state when their hideout—located inside the city—was stormed last Saturday night. The abductees were rescued in an operation that left two of the five kidnappers permanently neutralised, while one escaped with gunshot injuries. By Monday afternoon, the state government demolished the building, believed to have belonged to one of the kidnappers, where the abductees had been held. The kidnappers had known their victims and acted with the support of an insider, a personal assistant of someone in the abductees’ family.

The police moved quickly and effectively neutralised the threat. However, they failed to act professionally by revealing details of the operation that led to the rescue. This is a recurring mistake in the security agencies’ fight against terrorism across the country. They are too eager to disclose operational details, perhaps seeking public validation. A professional agency need not do that; it is like handing a work plan to criminals who are actively listening and watching for such information. The Ogbomoso terrorists are responding through Mrs. Alamu, turning the situation into a war of narratives that counters the official account of the conditions they have set for the release of their captives.

They are not demanding the imposition of shariah in the southwest or a N1 billion ransom; they only demand the release of their comrades in detention. Where are these comrades? In the southwest or Sambisa? What business does the government have negotiating with murderers? The southwest states that there is no room for terrorism of any kind in the region. Other regions can act as they wish and make terrorists their family members. It is their choice, but they must never entertain the idea of exporting terrorism into Yorubaland. This is why figures like Ahmad Gumi, who have long sided with terrorists, should be held accountable. Prof. Ishaq Akintola of the Muslim Rights Concern and others like him should recognise their limits. They must stop their self‑serving game of fostering disunity and weaponising religion among Nigerians.

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