Tuesday, September 8, 2026 -Six children abducted by a suspected child-stealing and human trafficking syndicate have been confirmed de@d while in captivity.
The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Olugbenga,
disclosed this at a press briefing held at the Police State Headquarters,
Eleyele, Ibadan on Monday, September 7. He disclosed that 17 children were
rescued while seven suspects were arrested following an intelligence-led
investigation into a criminal network allegedly involved in the stealing,
trafficking and concealment of children across state lines.
Olugbenga mentioned that investigation into the criminal
activities of the suspects began with a petition dated July 29, 2026, submitted
by Adejoke Popoola, also known as Orente Alagbo, of Sogade Area, Ariyo, Ibadan,
over allegations bordering on conspiracy, cyberb#llying, threat to life and
defamation of character.
Thepolice boss said while detectives were examining the
circumstances surrounding the petition, their attention was drawn to the
disappearance of a three-year-old boy, Ifakunle Ifagbenro, during an annual
masquerade festival in Oyo Town on June 29.
The commissioner said the child had accompanied his father
to his father-in-law’s family compound for the festival, while Popoola had
arrived two days earlier to participate in preparations for the event.
He said Popoola offered to carry the child during the event,
after which both of them disappeared from the venue. The matter was
subsequently reported at the Atiba Police Divisional Headquarters, Oyo Town.
According to the police chief, pictorial and video materials
from the event showed Popoola carrying the missing child, while digital trails
and statements obtained from persons connected to the event further established
that she was with the child around the time of his disappearance.
Popoola was arrested on August 4 and, according to the
commissioner, admitted attending the masquerade festival and subsequently
leaving with the missing child.
Her statement, Olugbenga said, provided the first major
breakthrough into what investigators discovered to be a wider criminal network.
The police boss said the suspect disclosed that she had been involved in the alleged stealing of more than 15 children, aged between two and seven years, from churches, parties and other event venues within and outside Oyo State.
He said she also identified one Adekanbi Janet, also known as Hosanna, as her partner in the alleged criminal enterprise.
Adekanbi was subsequently traced to Mowe, Ogun State, where
police rescued four children aged between two and four years from custody and
recovered two pregnant young women.
The commissioner said Adekanbi admitted knowing Popoola for
about 10 years in connection with the alleged stealing and sale of children,
although she denied having custody of Ifakunle.
According to him, Adekanbi further disclosed that some of
the stolen children were kept in custody pending their sale, while the pregnant
women were allegedly cared for until delivery.
Information obtained from her subsequently led detectives to
the location of Ifakunle, who was rescued around the Gbagi area of Ibadan on
August 20.
The police boss said detectives travelled to Agbor, Delta
State, on September 2, where four children allegedly stolen from Oyo State were
rescued from their suspected buyers.
Two suspects, identified as 48-year-old Christopher Joy and
53-year-old Rosemary Jesse, were arrested and allegedly confessed to
involvement in the business.
The development, he said, confirmed the interstate dimension
of the criminal network and showed that children were being moved outside Oyo
State as part of the alleged criminal enterprise.
The commissioner further disclosed that the investigation
uncovered an alleged ritual dimension to the activities of the syndicate.
According to him, one of the suspects confessed that
whenever a child d!ed while in their custody, the body would allegedly be sold
to ritualists.
The disclosure reportedly led to the arrest of Muritala
Fasasi, an Alfa, and Yakubu Azeez, a herbalist, who the police said had
confessed to their alleged involvement in using the bodies for ritual
purposes.
The development came against the backdrop of a chilling
testimony attributed to one of the principal suspects, who allegedly told
investigators that she had stolen 13 children before her arrest.
In the testimony, the suspect, nicknamed Orente, reportedly
said she would visit homes and, whenever she found nobody around, take a child.
Asked how much the children were sold for, she mentioned
amounts ranging from N500,000 to N600,000. She also claimed to have operated in
the business since October 2024.
The suspect allegedly described how children could be taken
from places where traditional or spiritual activities were being held,
including masquerade festivals, by gaining the confidence of parents.
In one account, she reportedly said she would tell parents
of children with disabilities that she could help heal them before taking the
children away.
The six deceased children were identified as Musharaf Lawal
Tajudeen, two; Greatness Adeagbo, five; Sainat Amoo, two; Taiwo Usman, two;
Daniel Solomon Olayinka, seven; and Miracle Olaniyi, four.
The command said the 17 rescued children are Ifakunle
Ifagbenro, three; Musibau Olasupo, five; Sulaimon Osamo, seven; Murina Fidaus,
three; Aminat Yusuf, three; Taiwo Olamilekan, three; an infant male aged nine
days; Rafiat Waheed Babalola, two; Quwiyat Alade, five; Rejoice Divine, three;
Alhaji Divine, five; Eniolorunda, three; Victoria, three; Isoma Prince, three;
Roqeeba, four; Boluwatife Odedeyi, three; and Ireoluwa Elizabeth Olapade,
seven.
The commissioner appealed to parents and guardians who had
lost their children in recent times to visit the Police Command Headquarters,
Eleyele, Ibadan, to identify the rescued children and facilitate their
reunification with their families.
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