Six Kidnapped Persons Found Dead in Abductors’ Custody, Police Say

The Oyo State Police Command says it has rescued 17 children and uncovered a criminal network involved in the abduction, sale and trafficking of children across several states.

The command also disclosed that six kidnapped persons were found dead while in the custody of their abductors.

The Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga, made this known while speaking with newsmen in Eleyele, Ibadan.

Olugbenga said the investigation followed a petition dated July 29 by Adejoke Popoola, also known as Orente Alagbo, of Sogade, Ariyo, Ibadan.

The petition alleged conspiracy, cyberbullying, threat to life and defamation of character. It was referred to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad on August 3.

During the investigation, detectives uncovered information about the disappearance of a three-year-old child, Ifakunle Ifagbenro.

According to the police, the child had accompanied his father to an annual masquerade festival at his father-in-law’s family compound in Oyo on June 29. Popoola, who had arrived two days earlier to assist with preparations for the ceremony, allegedly offered to carry the child during the event.

Shortly afterwards, Popoola and the child disappeared. The incident was reported at the Atiba Police Divisional Headquarters in Oyo.

Police detectives established that Popoola was with the child around the time of his disappearance. She was arrested at about 2:30 p.m. on August 4.

The police said Popoola admitted attending the festival and leaving with the child. She also allegedly confessed to stealing more than 15 children, aged between two and seven, from churches, parties and other events in Oyo and other states.

Popoola reportedly identified Adekanbi Janet, also known as Hosanna, as her accomplice.

Adekanbi was arrested in Mowe, Ogun State, where police rescued four children aged between two and four.

Two pregnant young women were also found in her custody.

During questioning, Adekanbi allegedly admitted that she and Popoola had been involved in stealing and selling children for about 10 years.

She reportedly told investigators that some of the stolen children were kept in custody until buyers were found, while the pregnant women were cared for until they gave birth.

The police said Adekanbi provided information that led to the rescue of Ifakunle, the missing three-year-old child.

The boy was rescued around Gbagi, Ibadan, on August 20.

On September 2, detectives travelled to Agbor, Delta State, where they rescued four children allegedly stolen from Oyo State.

Two suspected buyers, Christopher Joy, 48, and Rosemary Jesse, 53, were arrested.

The police said the operation confirmed the interstate nature of the criminal network and established that children were being moved outside Oyo State as part of the criminal enterprise.

The police said Popoola confessed that when a child died in their custody, the body was allegedly sold to ritualists.

Following the confession, detectives arrested Muritala Fasasi, an Islamic cleric, and Yakubu Azeez, a herbalist.

The command said both suspects had confessed to involvement in the alleged use of the children’s remains for ritual purposes.

The Oyo State Police Command said it had so far rescued 17 children.

It urged parents and guardians who have lost children in recent times to visit the command headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, to identify the rescued children and facilitate their reunification with their families.

The command said it was working with relevant security and government agencies to uncover the full structure of the network, locate other missing children, determine the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths and prosecute all suspects found culpable.

The police advised members of the public to report cases of missing children immediately.

Parents and guardians were also urged to exercise caution when dealing with individuals who present themselves as traditional or spiritual healers, especially those who attempt to separate children from their families or take them to undisclosed locations.

The command encouraged anyone with credible information that could assist the investigation to contact the police, assuring that such information would be handled professionally and confidentially where necessary.

The police said they remained committed to protecting children and other vulnerable persons, dismantling criminal networks and ensuring that justice was served in accordance with the law.