Oyo demolishes building Adelabu’s sister, twin nephews were held captive

From Taiwo Oluwadare, Ibadan

The Oyo State Government has demolished a three-bedroom bungalow allegedly used by kidnappers to detain the younger sister of former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, and her twin sons, as part of ongoing efforts to combat kidnapping and other criminal activities.

The property, located in the Lako Community, along Ayegun-Anaye Road, Ibadan, was pulled down yesterday by a government team led by the Commissioner for Works and Transport, Abdulmojeed Mogbonjubola.

The demolition exercise was carried out in the presence of operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works and Transport, Prince Goke Adenrele, and other officials of the ministry.

Speaking during the exercise, Mogbonjubola said the action was intended to send a strong warning to property owners against allowing their buildings to be used for criminal activities.

According to him, the government remains committed to ensuring the safety of residents and tackling insecurity in all parts of Oyo State.

He disclosed that, beyond demolishing the building, the state government had also revoked the land ownership rights attached to the property.

“The move is part of the state government’s determination to tackle kidnapping and other forms of criminality. Property owners must be vigilant and ensure that their buildings are not used as hideouts for criminals,” he said.

The commissioner urged landlords’ associations, estate agents, community leaders and residents to pay closer attention to activities within their neighbourhoods and promptly report suspicious movements to security agencies.

Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of the Ayegun-Lako Community Landlords Association, Matthew Olaiya, revealed that the occupant of the bungalow had only recently rented the apartment.

Olaiya said residents had observed unusual patterns in the tenant’s movements, noting that he often returned home late at night and would sometimes not come back home  for several days.

Responding to questions on whether community members noticed suspicious activities before the abduction incident, he explained that while some of the occupant’s behaviour appeared unusual, residents had no idea that the property was being used for criminal purposes.

The demolition follows the recent rescue of Adelabu’s sister and her twin sons after they were abducted and held captive by kidnappers, an incident that sparked widespread concern and intensified calls for stronger measures against criminal gangs operating within the  state.

The state government maintained that it would continue to take decisive actions against individuals and properties linked to criminal activities as part of broader efforts to strengthen security and protect residents.