Ogun Couple Nabbed With Three Children in Suspected Child-Trafficking Case

The Nigeria Police Force in Ogun State has arrested a couple over the alleged abduction of children in the Mowe area of the state.

The suspects, identified as Oluwarankami Kehinde Ugochukwu and her husband, Mathew Ugochukwu, were apprehended by operatives of the Mowe Division during an intelligence-led operation that also led to the rescue of three children.

Spokesperson of the Ogun State Police Command, Babaseyi Oluseyi, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Wednesday.

According to the statement, the arrest followed a complaint lodged on Sunday by a resident of Omo Onile, Mowe, who reported that her four-month-old baby had gone missing while she was receiving treatment at a clinic.

Police said one of the suspects allegedly visited the clinic pretending to care for the mother before taking the baby under the guise of helping to look after the child while the woman rested.

“The suspect later disappeared with the baby,” the statement said.

Following the report, detectives reportedly launched a coordinated operation, placing motor parks and strategic locations under surveillance while intensifying intelligence gathering across the area.

The police said the suspects were eventually tracked to a hideout in the Kekere Ekun area of Mowe on May 18, where the abducted infant and two other children were rescued.

Preliminary investigations, according to the command, revealed that one of the rescued children had previously been declared missing in a 2024 child-stealing case involving a similar method allegedly used by the suspects.

Police added that the biological parents of two of the rescued children had already identified and reunited with their wards. The case has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.

Reacting to the development, Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended officers involved in the operation and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling child trafficking, abduction and other violent crimes.

The police also urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies.

The incident comes days after the Abia State Police Command announced the arrest of three women over alleged child stealing in the state.