Police rescue 17 children, arrest seven suspects as investigation exposes alleged interstate trafficking network
A suspected member of a child-stealing and trafficking syndicate in Oyo State, Adejoke Popoola, has allegedly confessed to selling two sets of children she gave birth to and stealing 19 other children for onward sale.
Popoola, who spoke to journalists at the Oyo State Police Command headquarters in Ibadan on Monday, said she had been involved in the alleged activities since October 2024.
According to her, she sold a newborn boy and a set of twins, with the twins allegedly sold to a clinic in Ogeere for N300,000.
She claimed that she sometimes received between N80,000 and N120,000 for each child sold.
Popoola, who said she had seven children of her own, also admitted to stealing children by disguising herself as a prospective tenant and gaining access to homes when parents were away.
“I steal babies. I will go to their place and say I want to rent a house. Then, if I do not see anyone, if I see their children, I will just steal their children,” she said.
She further alleged that a woman she worked with at Ogeere Market taught her how to steal children.
The suspect also claimed that she sometimes disguised herself as a spiritualist to target vulnerable parents, particularly those with children living with disabilities.
She said she would promise parents that she could heal their children before allegedly taking another child from a different family.
How three-year-old boy was allegedly stolen
Popoola also recounted how she allegedly stole three-year-old Ifakunle Ifagbenro during an Egungun festival in Oyo Town.
She said she travelled to the festival after asking a commercial motorcyclist to take her to the venue.
According to her, she joined prayers at the house where the festival activities were taking place and later volunteered to help carry the child during the procession.
She alleged that after following the procession, she picked up the boy, put him on her back and fled with him.
The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga, had earlier said the investigation into the case began following a petition dated July 29, 2026.
The CP said detectives were subsequently drawn to the disappearance of Ifakunle, who reportedly went missing during an annual masquerade festival in Oyo Town on June 29.
Olugbenga said photographs and video recordings from the event showed Popoola carrying the child, while further investigation allegedly established that she was with him around the time of his disappearance.
He said Popoola was arrested on August 4 and allegedly provided information that became a major breakthrough in the investigation.
According to the CP, she allegedly disclosed her involvement in the stealing of more than 15 children, aged between two and seven, from churches, parties and other event venues within and outside Oyo State.
Police uncover interstate network
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The investigation, according to Olugbenga, led detectives to Adekanbi Janet, also known as Hosanna, who was allegedly identified by Popoola as her partner.
Janet was subsequently traced to Mowe, Ogun State, where police reportedly rescued four children aged between two and four and two pregnant young women from her custody.
The CP said Janet allegedly disclosed that some stolen children were kept until buyers were found, while pregnant women were allegedly cared for until they gave birth.
Information obtained from her also reportedly helped detectives locate and rescue Ifakunle around the Gbagi area of Ibadan on August 20.
The investigation later extended to Delta State.
Olugbenga said detectives travelled to Agbor on September 2 and rescued four children allegedly stolen from Oyo State and taken to persons suspected of having purchased them.
Two suspects, Christopher Joy, 48, and Rosemary Jesse, 53, were arrested in connection with the operation.
Six children allegedly died
The police investigation also took a disturbing turn with allegations that some children died while in the custody of members of the suspected syndicate.
Popoola claimed that six of the 19 children she allegedly kidnapped had died.
The CP similarly said six children reportedly died while in the custody of their alleged abductors.
The deceased were identified as Musharaf Lawal Tajudeen, two; Greatness Adeagbo, five; Sainat Amoo, two; Taiwo Usman, two; Daniel Solomon Olayinka, seven; and Miracle Olaniyi, four.
Olugbenga further said suspects allegedly disclosed that when a child died in their custody, the body was sold to suspected ritualists.
This development reportedly led to the arrest of Muritala Fasasi, an Alfa, and Yakubu Azeez, a herbalist, in connection with the alleged ritual aspect of the investigation.
17 children rescued
The Oyo State Police Command said it had so far rescued 17 children and arrested seven suspects as investigations continue into the alleged trafficking network.
The Commissioner of Police described the breakthrough as the outcome of an intelligence-led investigation that began with a petition but subsequently exposed a wider network allegedly involved in the stealing, movement, sale and concealment of children across state boundaries.
The command urged parents and guardians who have lost children in recent times to visit its headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, to identify the rescued children and facilitate their reunification with their families.
The police said investigations are continuing.
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