Presidency responds to critics linking Adelabu's family abduction to Ogbomoso school kidnappings

The Presidency on Sunday rejected comparisons between the rescue of former Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu's relatives and the ongoing kidnapping of schoolchildren and teachers in Ogbomoso. They described the two situations as very different security issues.

Temitope Ajayi, who is the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, said those making comparisons were not understanding the different types of crimes and how authorities respond to each.

In a post on Facebook, Mr Ajayi said it is wrong to compare 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.

He explained that the kidnappers of Mr Adelabu's relatives are part of an urban gang that uses similar tactics to make money. In contrast, the Ogbomoso incident involves terrorists who operate from faraway forests.

“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 dismissed accusations that security agencies are favouring one group of victims over another based on their social status or political ties.
“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 asked Nigerians to celebrate the rescue of Mr Adelabu’s relatives while still praying for the safe return of others kidnapped 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.

His comments came after a lively discussion on social media. This followed the Nigeria Police Force announcing 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 taken on June 3.

Police officials said the victims were rescued in a planned operation involving intelligence and tactical teams. They reported that several suspects were arrested, and the victims were found unharmed.

This successful operation led to mixed reactions online. Some people wondered why the police were able to quickly free Mr Adelabu’s relatives while many schoolchildren and teachers taken in Ogbomoso remained missing.

The Ogbomoso kidnapping happened when armed men attacked a school and took away pupils and staff. Security agencies began search-and-rescue operations, but the victims have not yet been freed.

Kidnapping for ransom is still one of Nigeria’s biggest security problems. Criminal gangs and terrorist groups use different methods and operate in both cities and remote areas.

Security experts have pointed out that rescue operations change based on factors like the number of victims, the terrain, the information available to security agencies, and the type of criminal group behind the kidnapping.