Ogun Police Bust Child Theft Syndicate, Rescue Three Stolen Children

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The Nigeria Police Force has cracked a suspected child-stealing syndicate operating in the Mowe area of Ogun State, arresting a husband and wife while rescuing three stolen children from their hideout.

The suspects, identified as Oluwarankami Kehinde Ugochukwu and her husband, Ugochukwu Mathew, were apprehended by detectives attached to the Mowe Division following an intelligence-led operation that led officers to Kekere Ekun area of Mowe.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Command, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, the operation was triggered by a complaint lodged on May 17 by a resident of Omo Onile, Mowe, whose four-month-old baby was allegedly stolen while she was receiving treatment at a clinic.

Police said the female suspect reportedly visited the nursing mother under the guise of offering assistance and care for the baby while the mother rested, but subsequently disappeared with the child.

The statement disclosed that detectives immediately launched a manhunt, placing motor parks and other strategic locations under surveillance while intensifying intelligence gathering across the area.

Acting on credible information, operatives tracked the suspects to their hideout on May 18 at about 7:55 p.m., where the stolen infant was recovered alongside two other children allegedly found in their custody.

Investigations further revealed that one of the rescued children had previously been declared missing in a 2024 child theft case. Police said the child was allegedly taken from a hairdressing salon through a similar deceptive tactic in which the suspect pretended to offer assistance before fleeing with the victim.

The police confirmed that the biological parents of two of the rescued children had already identified and reunited with their wards, while further investigations continue to determine the identities and circumstances surrounding the remaining child.

The case has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation and possible prosecution.

Commending the swift response of officers attached to the Mowe Division, the Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Bode Ojajuni, praised the professionalism and proactive efforts of the operatives that led to the arrest of the suspects and rescue of the children.

Ojajuni reiterated the command’s determination to sustain ongoing efforts against child trafficking, abduction, and other violent crimes across Ogun State, while urging residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies.

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