NIGERIA: Atiku Condemns Abduction Of Minister Adelabu’s Sister, Twin Nephews, Says No One Is Safe From Kidnappers

By Onoja Baba

Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the abduction of the sister and twin nephews of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, describing the incident as further evidence of Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.

The victims were reportedly kidnapped in Ibadan, Oyo State, prompting Atiku to call for their immediate and unconditional release as well as the swift arrest of those responsible for the crime.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku expressed solidarity with the Adelabu family and lamented what he described as the growing kidnapping crisis across the country.

According to him, the circumstances surrounding the abduction are particularly disturbing because the attack reportedly occurred at Challenge Bus Stop, one of the busiest locations in Ibadan.

“The fact that kidnappers could strike in such a prominent public space without fear of interception speaks volumes about the worsening security situation in the country,” Atiku said.

The former vice president argued that while ordinary Nigerians have suffered from kidnapping and violent crimes for years, the latest incident demonstrates that insecurity has become so widespread that no one is immune, regardless of social status or political affiliation.

“Kidnappers do not ask for party membership cards before striking. They do not distinguish between APC members and opposition supporters.

They do not care whether their victims are ministers, former ministers, traders, teachers, students, or farmers,” he stated.

Atiku said the incident should serve as a wake-up call to government officials and security agencies, stressing that the same insecurity affecting ordinary Nigerians is now impacting families connected to influential public figures.

He expressed concern that many Nigerians now live under constant fear of abduction and violent attacks, while some families have begun making financial plans around the possibility of paying ransom demands.

The ADC chieftain urged the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to move beyond what he described as a reactive approach to security and adopt a more comprehensive strategy focused on intelligence gathering, prevention and dismantling criminal networks.

He called for a robust, intelligence-driven security framework capable of securing vulnerable communities, breaking up kidnapping syndicates and restoring public confidence in the government’s ability to protect lives and property.

The incident comes amid renewed concerns over the resurgence of kidnapping across several parts of Nigeria, with criminal gangs increasingly targeting travellers, students, farmers and residents of both urban and rural communities for ransom.

Security experts have repeatedly warned that the persistent wave of kidnappings and violent crimes poses a significant challenge to the country’s security architecture and requires stronger coordination among intelligence and law enforcement agencies.