By Segun Ayinde, Abeokuta

Ogun State Police Command has arrested a child-stealing syndicate, Ugochukwu Mathew and his wife, Oluwarankami Kehinde Ugochukwu and rescued three stolen children in Mowe area of Ogun State.

The suspect’s arrest followed a complaint lodged at Mowe Division on 17/05/2026 at about 10:00 am by a resident of Omo Onile, Mowe, who said that the female suspect approached her while she was receiving medical attention at a clinic in Mowe.

The resident further explained that on 16 May 2026, the wife of the main suspect, Oluwarankami Kehinde Ugochukwu, visited the clinic under the guise of checking on her condition, and deceitfully collected her four-month-old baby on the pretext of assisting with care while the mother rested, and thereafter absconded with the child.

Police Public Relations Officer DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi confirmed this to newsmen in a statement in Abeokuta yesterday

Babaseyi said that upon receipt of the report, detectives of Mowe Division, led by CSP Folake Afeniforo, immediately mobilised, and motor parks as well as 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 7:55 pm, where the stolen child was rescued alongside two other children found in their possession. The husband and wife suspects were promptly arrested and taken into custody,” the Police PRO said

He said that preliminary investigation revealed that one of the children found with the suspects had earlier been declared missing in a 2024 child-stealing case, and the child was taken from a hairdressing salon using the same deceptive method of pretending to offer assistance.

Babaseyi said that the biological parents of two of the rescued children have been contacted and have positively identified their wards.

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

The Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni, commended the swift response, professionalism, and commitment of the officers and men of Mowe Division, whose proactive efforts led to the arrest of the suspects and rescue of the children.

The CP reiterated the Command’s resolve to sustain the fight against child trafficking, abduction, and other violent crimes across the State.

He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements or criminal activities through the Ogun State Police Command emergency lines: Gateway Shield (Toll-Free): 0800 000 9111; Emergency Lines: 0906 283 7609, 0912 014 1706, 0915 102 7369, 0708 497 2994.