Presidency reacts to critics comparing Adelabu's relatives to Ogbomoso's abducted schoolchildren

The Presidency on Sunday dismissed comparisons between the recent rescue of relatives of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and the ongoing abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Ogbomoso, describing the two incidents as fundamentally different security challenges.

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Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, said critics drawing parallels between the two cases were ignoring the distinct nature of the crimes and the operational realities involved in responding to them.

In a post on his Facebook page, Mr Ajayi said it was wrong to equate the kidnapping of Mr Adelabu’s sister and her twin sons with the mass abduction of schoolchildren and teachers by armed terrorists.

“Those who are comparing Adelabu’s sister and her twins’ situation to the Ogbomoso kids and their teachers are totally wrong,” he wrote.

According to him, the kidnapping of Mr Adelabu’s relatives was carried out by an urban criminal gang engaged in copycat abductions for financial gain, while the Ogbomoso incident involved terrorists operating from remote forest locations.

“It is wrong to compare the urban gang of kidnappers who engage in copycat crime to make money and hide victims inside a flat within the community to a band of terrorists operating deep inside the bush. The two sets of criminals have different motivations and agendas,” Mr Ajayi said.

The presidential aide also rejected claims that security agencies were prioritising one set of victims over another based on social status or political connections.

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“The Ogbomoso children and their teachers will be rescued, and government/security agencies are not selective as falsely claimed. The approach to the two incidents can’t be the same,” he said.

Mr Ajayi urged Nigerians to celebrate the successful rescue of Mr Adelabu’s relatives while continuing to pray for the safe return of other kidnapping victims across the country.

“We should be happy that the woman and his twins are safely home while we pray for quicker rescue of those still in the bush with their abductors,” he added.

The comments followed public debate on social media after the Nigeria Police Force announced the rescue of Mrs Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, a relative of Adelabu, and her 12-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul, who were abducted on June 3.

Police authorities said the victims were rescued during a coordinated operation involving intelligence and tactical teams.

The force said several suspects were arrested, and the victims were recovered unharmed.

READ ALSO: Nigeria Police give more details on operation that rescued ex-minister Adelabu’s relatives

The successful operation sparked reactions online, with some users questioning why security agencies appeared able to swiftly secure the release of Mr Adelabu’s relatives while dozens of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Ogbomoso remained in captivity.

The Ogbomoso abduction occurred earlier when armed men reportedly attacked a school and whisked away pupils and members of staff. Security agencies have since launched search-and-rescue operations, although the victims have yet to regain their freedom.

Kidnapping for ransom remains one of Nigeria’s most persistent security challenges, with criminal gangs and terrorist groups employing different tactics and operating across both urban centres and remote rural areas.

Security experts have often noted that rescue operations vary depending on factors such as the number of victims involved, terrain, intelligence available to security agencies, and the nature of the criminal group responsible for the abduction.