The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a husband and wife suspected of child stealing and rescued three children during an operation in the Mowe area of the state.
This was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi.
The suspects were identified as Oluwarankami Kehinde Ugochukwu and her husband, Ugochukwu Mathew.
According to the statement, the case began on 17 May 2026 when a resident of Omo Onile, Mowe, reported that her four-month-old baby had been stolen a day earlier while she was receiving medical care at a clinic in the area. The complainant said the female suspect visited her under the pretext of checking on her condition and offered to assist by holding the baby while she rested, but later disappeared with the child.
Following the report, detectives from the Mowe Division launched an immediate investigation. Surveillance was mounted at motor parks and other strategic locations, while intelligence-led operations were intensified across the area.
Acting on credible intelligence, the police traced the suspects to a hideout in the Kekere Ekun area of Mowe on 18 May 2026 at about 7:55 p.m. The stolen infant was rescued at the location, alongside two other children found in the suspects’ custody.
The suspects were arrested at the scene and taken into custody. Preliminary investigations also revealed that one of the rescued children had previously been declared missing in a 2024 child-stealing case involving a similar method of deception, in which a child was taken from a hairdressing salon under the guise of assistance.
The parents of two of the rescued children have since been identified and have confirmed the identities of their wards.
The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.
The Commissioner of Police commended the officers of the Mowe Division for their swift response and professionalism, noting that their efforts led to the arrest of the suspects and the safe rescue of the children. He also reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling child trafficking, abduction, and other violent crimes across the state.
Residents were urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to the police through the appropriate emergency channels.
