The Ogun State Police Command has apprehended a married couple suspected of involvement in child stealing and successfully rescued three children during an operation in the Mowe axis of the state.
The arrest was confirmed in a statement released on Wednesday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi.
The suspects were identified as Oluwarankami Kehinde Ugochukwu (female) and her husband, Ugochukwu Mathew (male).
“The arrest followed a complaint lodged at Mowe Division on 17/05/2026 at about 10:00 a.m. by a resident of Omo Onile, Mowe, who reported that while she was receiving medical attention at a clinic in Mowe on 16/05/2026, one of the suspects, Oluwarankami Kehinde Ugochukwu (female), visited under the guise of checking on her condition, deceitfully collected her four-month-old baby on the pretext of assisting with care while the mother rested, and thereafter absconded with the child.
“Upon receipt of the report, detectives of the division were immediately mobilised. Motor parks and strategic locations within the area were placed under surveillance while intelligence-led operations were intensified.
“Acting on credible intelligence, detectives tracked the suspects to their hideout at Kekere Ekun area of Mowe on 18/05/2026 at about 7:55pm, where the stolen child was rescued alongside two other children found in their possession,” the statement read.
The command further disclosed that both husband and wife were taken into custody following the operation.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that one of the children found with the suspects had earlier been declared missing in a 2024 child-stealing case, in which the child was taken from a hairdressing salon using the same deceptive method of pretending to offer assistance.
“The biological parents of two of the rescued children have been contacted and have positively identified their wards,” the statement added.
Babaseyi confirmed that the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further discreet investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP Bode Ojajuni, praised the swift response and professionalism of officers from the Mowe Division, noting that their timely action led to the arrest and rescue operation.
He also reaffirmed the command’s commitment to intensifying efforts against child trafficking, abduction, and other related violent crimes across the state.
The police further urged residents to stay alert and promptly report any suspicious activities to the appropriate security authorities through the command’s emergency hotlines.