Oyo Police Rescue 17 Children in Trafficking Ring

Oyo State Police Command has uncovered an interstate child-stealing and trafficking network, leading to the rescue of 17 children and the arrest of seven suspects. The investigation, which began with a petition, also revealed allegations that six children died while in the custody of the alleged traffickers and that their remains were sold to suspected ritualists. The operation, led by the Oyo State Police Command, spanned multiple states, including Ogun and Delta. Commissioner of Police Abimbola Olugbenga disclosed the details during a press briefing on Monday, September 7, 2026. The investigation was initiated following a petition filed on July 29, 2026, by Adejoke Popoola, who alleged conspiracy, cyberbullying, threat to life, and defamation. Detectives investigating the petition soon became aware of the disappearance of a three-year-old boy, Ifakunle Ifagbenro, who went missing during an annual masquerade festival in Oyo Town on June 29, 2026. Photographic and video evidence from the event showed Popoola with the child shortly before he vanished. Popoola was arrested on August 4, 2026, and reportedly admitted to leaving the festival with the boy.