07/09/2026
OYO POLICE UNCOVER CHILD-STEALING AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING SYNDICATE OPERATING ACROSS STATE LINES, RESCUE 17 CHILDREN
The Oyo State Police Command has recorded a significant breakthrough in an intelligence-led investigation into a criminal network involved in the stealing and trafficking of children across state lines. What commenced as an investigation into a petition has, through painstaking investigative work, uncovered a wider network extending beyond Oyo State, resulting in the rescue of 17 children and the arrest of seven suspects.
The investigation has revealed a disturbing pattern involving the identification, movement, sale and concealment of children, alongside other serious criminal activities. For clarity, I will take you through the investigation in the sequence in which the various leads emerged and how each development directed detectives to the next stage.
The investigation commenced following a petition dated 29 July 2026submitted by Adejoke Popoola ‘F’, also known as Orente Alagbo, of Sogade Area, Ariyo, Ibadan. The petition raised issues bordering on conspiracy, cyberbullying, threat to life and defamation of character.
The petition was assigned to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad on 3 August 2026. While examining the circumstances surrounding the petition, the attention of the detectives were drawn to the disappearance of a three-year-old child, Ifakunle Ifagbenro ‘M’.
On 29 June 2026, the child accompanied his father to the annual masquerade festival at his father-in-law’s family compound in Oyo Town, where Adejoke also arrived two days before the festival to participate in the preparations for the event.
During the event, she offered to carry the child. Shortly afterwards, both Adejoke and the child disappeared from the venue. The matter was subsequently reported at Atiba Police Divisional Headquarters in Oyo Town.
As detectives pursued the circumstances of his disappearance, pictorial and video materials at the event showed Adejoke carrying the child on 29 June 2026.
The persons identified through the digital trail were also invited by the Police and from their statements, it was established that Adejoke Popoola, also known as Orente Alagbo, was with the child around the time of his disappearance. Adejoke Popoola was arrested on 4 August 2026 at about 1430 hours, when she admitted to have attended the masquerade festival and thereafter left with the missing child. Her statement provided the first major breakthrough into the wider criminal network. She disclosed that she had been involved in the stealing of more than 15 children, between the ages of two and seven, from churches, parties and other event venues within and outside Oyo State.
She further disclosed one Adekanbi Janet ‘F’, also known as Hosanna, as her partner in the business. She was traced and arrested in Mowe, Ogun State, where four children between ages of two and four were rescued from custody, together with two pregnant young women.
In the course of investigation, Adekanbi Janet aka Hossana also admitted knowing Adejoke for about ten years of her involvement in the stealing and sale of children, although she denied having custody of Ifakunle.
She further revealed that some of the stolen children were kept in custody pending sale, while the pregnant young women will be cared for until delivery and subsequently provided clues on the whereabouts of Ifakunle, the missing child, which led to his rescue on 20 August 2026, around Gbagi Area, Ibadan.
On 2 September 2026, detectives also travelled to Agbor, Delta State, where four children stolen from Oyo State were rescued from their buyers. One Christopher Joy ‘f’ 48 yrs, and Rosemary Jesse 53 year who confessed to their involvement in the business were also arrested.
This development confirmed the interstate dimension of the criminal network and established that children were being moved beyond Oyo State for purposes connected with the criminal enterprise.
She also confessed that if a child should die while in their custody, the body will be sold to ritualists, which led to the arrest of Muritala Fasasi ‘M’, an Alfa and Yakubu Azeez ‘M’ a herbalist. Both have confessed their involvement in using them for ritual purposes.
The Command has so far rescued 17 children, namely: -
1. Ifakunle Ifagbenro ‘M’ – 3 years
2. Musibau Olasupo ‘M’ – 5 years
3. Sulaimon Osamo ‘M’ – 7 years
4. Murina Fidaus ‘F’ – 3 years
5. Aminat Yusuf ‘F’ – 3 years
6. Taiwo Olamilekan ‘M’ – 3 years
7. Infant ‘M’ – 9 days
8. Rafiat Waheed Babalola ‘F’ – 2 years
9. Quwiyat Alade ‘F’ – 5 years
10. Rejoice Divine ‘F’ – 3 years
11. Alhaji Divine ‘M’ – 5 years
12. Eniolorunda ‘M’ – 3 years
13. Victoria ‘F’ – 3 years
14. Isoma Prince ‘F’ – 3 years
15. Roqeeba ‘F’ – 4 years
16. Boluwatife Odedeyi ‘F’ – 3 years
17. Ireoluwa Elizabeth Olapade ‘F’ – 7 years
While,
1. Musharaf Lawal Tajudeen ‘M’ – 2 years
2. Greatness Adeagbo ‘M’ – 5 years
3. Sainat Amoo ‘F’ – 2 years
4. Taiwo Usman ‘F’ – 2 years
5. Daniel Solomon Olayinka ‘M’ – 7 years
6. Miracle Olaniyi ‘M’ – 4 years
Died in custody of their abductors
Name of Suspects
1. Adejoke Popoola ‘f’
2. Adekanbi Janet ‘f’
3. Christopher Joy ‘f’
4. Rosemary Jesse ‘f’
5. Muritala Fasasi ‘m’
6. Yakubu Azeez ‘m’
7. Ismaila Alabede ‘m’
The Oyo State Police Command is therefore calling on parents and guardians who have lost their children in recent times to visit Oyo State Police Command Headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, to identify the children rescued and facilitate their early reunification with their families.
The Command is working with other relevant security and government agencies to identify the full structure of the network, locate other missing children, establish the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths and ensure that all persons found culpable are brought to justice.
The public is urged to remain vigilant and report timely any case of missing child to the Police without delay. Parents and guardians should also exercise caution when engaging persons who present themselves as traditional or spiritual healers, particularly where they seek to separate children from their families or take them to undisclosed locations.
