The Ekiti State Police Command said on Tuesday that it had arrested 17 persons for cattle rustling and recovered 558 cattle from them.

The police also disclosed that five suspects were arrested for the operation of a baby factory and child exploitation along Ise Road in the Ikere Ekiti area of the state.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Joseph Eribo, who disclosed this yesterday in Ado Ekiti, said that on January 21, 2026, based on a credible tip-off, the Command Operations arrested one Ibrahim Abubakar, a notorious cattle rustler/kidnapper.

“During investigation, Ibrahim Abubakar confessed that he is into cattle rustling business, and equally mentioned different occasions in the past where he attacked cattle owners and made away with their cattle.

“A large number of rustled cattle numbering two hundred and fifty-five(255) were recovered from him. He will be further investigated and charged in court.”

According to him, investigation revealed that Ibrahim Abubakar has, over the years, rustled numerous cattle in Ekiti, Kwara and Kogi states, and has been on the wanted list of the three states.

The police also said that another 16 rustlers were arrested on the same day, including Dauda Abdulrahman, Sanusi Abdullahi, Abdulmumini Abdullahi, Ibrahim Adamu, Aladu, Umaru Bala, Idris Abdullahi, Umaru Dairu, Adamu Abubakar, Salisu Abdullahi, Idris Abdullahi, Yahuza Abdulrahman, Abdullahi Salisu, Samaila Abdullahi, Ibrahim Abdullahi and Sanni Muhammadu.

Eribo said that at the time of their arrest, three hundred and three (303) cattle, suspected of being rustled, were found in their possession, and that the suspects were unable to give a satisfactory account of the cattle.

In another development, the police said they apprehended five suspects operating an illegal baby factory on the 24/01/2026 after receiving a credible tip-off that one Oluwadare Onyechi, a 43-year-old woman, runs an illegal Baby Factory alongside four other suspects somewhere behind Inisa Hotel and Suites, along Ise-Ekiti Road, Ikere-Ekiti.

“Upon the receipt of the information, the Command Operatives swung into action, cordoned off the premises used for the illegal business, and arrested Oluwadare Onyechi and four other accomplices namely, Onuoha Gloria ’28 yrs’, Victoria Linus ’25 yrs’, Ihegbogu Mercy ’21 yrs’ and a heavily pregnant Emmanuel Esther ’23yrs’.

“Search was conducted in the premises, and six children between the ages of two and nine reasonably suspected to be under bondage and exploitation were rescued. Items such as baby delivery materials, some rolls of dexamethasone tablets, and some bottles of Goya oil were recovered from the scene,” the police said.