The rescue of the sister of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and her twin sons should ordinarily be one of those stories everyone celebrates without hesitation.
A family was reunited, lives were saved, this is a case of another kidnapping story did not end in tragedy.
On the surface, that is good news.
But the reaction that followed tells a deeper story about where many Nigerians currently stand emotionally when it comes to security and justice.
The issue is not that people are angry because Adelabu’s sister and her sons were rescued, the issue is that many people are asking why the same urgency appears missing when ordinary citizens become victims.
The abduction reportedly occurred in Ibadan. Security operatives swung into action almost immediately. Within days, police announced that the victims had been rescued and that suspected kidnappers had been neutralized during the operation.
Normally, that would be the end of the conversation.
Instead, it became the beginning.
Almost immediately, social media users began drawing comparisons between this rescue and the ongoing plight of other kidnapping victims across Oyo State, particularly the schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area.
For weeks, families of those victims have lived in fear and uncertainty, parents have cried publicly, community leaders have appealed for intervention, Teachers’ unions have raised concerns, youths and educational bodies have protested, yet many of those victims remain unaccounted for.
That contrast is what has fueled the mixed reactions.
Whether fair or unfair, perception matters. When the relative of a politically connected figure is rescued within days while dozens of other victims remain in captivity for weeks, people naturally begin to question the system.
They wonder whether influence accelerates action, whether some lives attract more urgency than others and why the full weight of the state’s security machinery appears more visible in some cases than in others.
Perhaps those assumptions are incorrect or maybe intelligence gathering simply worked faster in one case than the other or the circumstances of both kidnappings are completely different.
or should I say, security agencies are working equally hard on all fronts.
But in a country where public trust in institutions has been repeatedly tested, perception often becomes reality.
This is why the celebrations surrounding the rescue have made some people uncomfortable.
Not because they wished harm on Adelabu’s family or because they oppose successful rescue operations but because celebrating loudly while other families are still counting the days can feel disconnected from the broader reality.
Imagine being the parent of one of the children still trapped in captivity, watching congratulatory messages flood social media while you continue to wait for a phone call, a breakthrough, or simply proof that your child is still alive.
That perspective changes everything.
The truth is that this story should never have been about Adelabu alone, it should have become a reminder of what is possible when security agencies act swiftly, strategically, and decisively.
If three victims can be rescued within days, then citizens have every right to ask for the same commitment toward every other victim still waiting to come home.
The standard should not be exceptional treatment for the powerful, it should be exceptional treatment for everyone.
This is not a criticism of the rescue.
Every successful rescue deserves recognition.
Every kidnap victim returned safely to their family is a victory.
But victories in isolation mean little when a larger crisis remains unresolved.
The rescue of Adelabu’s sister and her twin sons is good news, the continued captivity of other victims is not.
And until those families also have reasons to celebrate, many Nigerians will continue to view this moment not as a complete triumph, but as a painful reminder of the inequalities they believe exist within the system.
The best way to silence the criticism is not through statements.
It is through results.
Bring the remaining victims home.
Then everyone can celebrate together.