Child Trafficking: Oyo Police Rescue 4 More Children, Reunite Them With Families

By Victoria Isaac

The Oyo State Police Command has rescued four more children allegedly stolen from their biological parents and reunited them with their respective families as the investigation continues into a suspected child-stealing, human trafficking and baby factory syndicate.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday, saying the latest recoveries followed fresh leads generated from the earlier rescue of 17 children and the arrest of suspects linked to the alleged operation.

Ayanlade said the development followed complaints from parents who recognised their missing children after the Command’s earlier public briefing and circulation of video clips showing the rescued children.

He said the complaints provided fresh investigative leads, prompting detectives to further interrogate the principal suspect, AdeJoke Popoola, also known as Orente Alagbo.

During interrogation, the suspect allegedly provided information on the whereabouts of other children believed to have been stolen and sold at different times.

Acting on the information, police operatives travelled to Lagos State on September 3, where three-year-old Taiwo Olamilekan was rescued from the Akoka area.

Further investigation led the operatives to Ikorodu, Lagos State, where Aleemi Omogoriola Okuleye was rescued on September 8.

The investigation was subsequently extended to Delta State following another lead concerning children allegedly stolen from their biological parents.

Ayanlade said the investigative efforts culminated in the rescue of two children from Agbor on September 14. They were identified as nine-year-old Adeyinka Ayomide and two-year-old Adeyinka Gold, who were allegedly stolen from their parents in Ogun State before being taken to Delta State.

Following the recoveries, the Command conducted verification to establish the identities of the children’s biological parents before reuniting them with their respective families.

The PPRO said the latest recoveries represented another breakthrough in the investigation, with information from affected families, sustained interrogation and other investigative leads helping detectives trace the children.

The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, has directed the investigative team to pursue all credible leads, identify other possible victims and uncover the wider network allegedly behind the child-stealing and trafficking operation.

The Command also urged parents and guardians whose children remain missing to report to the police and provide relevant information that could assist investigators in tracing other victims and bringing those found culpable to justice.