Important Notice: Reading on PHOENIX? Click “Read Original” to Access the Full Story.
The presidential nominee for the 2027 election from the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, stated that numerous kidnappers throughout Nigeria are concealed in areas familiar to locals and security officials, emphasizing the necessity for a stronger political commitment to address insecurity.
Adebayo made these comments in an interview with Vanguard News TV on Thursday, June 18, 2026, while talking about the abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State and reports indicating that the captives were located in the Old Oyo National Park. This event, which gained widespread attention, heightened worries about kidnappers who operate from forests and secluded areas across the nation.
In response to the news, Adebayo showed confidence that the location of the suspected kidnappers was well-known. “If you provide me a vehicle and a chauffeur, I can go directly to where the kidnappers are holding the children. I would not get lost; I know their location,” he stated.
The SDP candidate pointed out that criminal networks usually use easily identifiable hideouts and that the real issue is not a shortage of information, but rather the inability to take prompt and effective measures against them. He argued that law enforcement should be given the resources and backing needed to dismantle these criminal bases before they solidify.
Adebayo asserted that Nigeria has the ability to tackle kidnapping and other violent offenses if governmental bodies work together efficiently and show the required determination. He emphasized that safeguarding lives and properties should always be the essential duty of the state.
