The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga, has disclosed that residents of a community in Oluyole Local Government Area allegedly observed suspected kidnappers moving abducted victims into a residential building without reporting the activity to security authorities.
The statement was contained in a post shared on the official page of presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, following the rescue of Mrs. Busayo John-Paul and her twin sons from a kidnapping network in Oyo State.
According to the post, the commissioner spoke while guiding journalists to a house in Araromi Quarters, Ayegun North, Oluyole Local Government Area, where the victims were allegedly kept before being rescued by police operatives.
Olugbenga stated that preliminary investigations suggested the property had been repeatedly used as a holding location for abducted persons.
He further noted that some residents reportedly witnessed suspicious movements around the building but did not alert security agencies.
“They have been bringing the abductees here. They bring them here, and people see them. Some even greet them and say ‘welcome.’ When people see such things and don’t speak up, what do you expect us to do?”
The commissioner said timely information from residents could have enabled security operatives to intervene earlier and possibly prevent the situation from escalating.
“If suspicious activities like this had been reported, none of this would have happened. We would have taken the necessary steps in good time,” he stated.
He emphasized that effective control of kidnapping, banditry, and other security challenges depends on cooperation between security agencies and members of the public.
He urged residents to promptly report unusual movements and suspicious behavior within their communities to the appropriate authorities.
