Ogun Police crack child‑stealing syndicate, arrest couple, rescue three children in Mowe

Cityscope, Crime Diary

ABEOKUTA, Nigeria (NPA) — The Ogun State Police Command has dismantled a child‑stealing syndicate in Mowe, arresting a husband and wife and rescuing three stolen children in a swift intelligence‑led operation.

According to a statement issued by DSP Oluseyi B. Babasayi, Police Public Relations Officer, the arrests followed a complaint lodged on 17 May 2026 by a resident of Omo Onile, Mowe. The complainant reported that while receiving medical attention at a clinic on 16 May, one of the suspects, Oluwarankami Kehinde Ugochukwu, deceitfully collected her four‑month‑old baby under the guise of assisting with care, but absconded with the child.

Detectives immediately mobilised, placing motor parks and strategic locations under surveillance. Acting on credible intelligence, officers tracked the suspects to their hideout at the Kekere Ekun area of Mowe on 18 May 2026, where the stolen infant was rescued alongside two other children found in their possession. The suspects, Oluwarankami Kehinde Ugochukwu and her husband, Ugochukwu Mathew, were promptly arrested.

Preliminary investigation revealed that one of the rescued children had earlier been declared missing in a 2024 child‑stealing case, where the same deceptive method of pretending to offer assistance was used. The biological parents of two of the children have since been contacted and positively identified their wards.

The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, for discreet investigation.

Commissioner of Police CP Bode Ojajuni commended the swift response and professionalism of Mowe Division officers, reiterating the Command’s resolve to sustain the fight against child trafficking, abduction, and violent crimes across Ogun State.