A distraught mother has visited the Oyo State Police Command headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, in the hope of finding her four-year-old daughter among 17 children recently rescued from an alleged child trafficking network.
The woman, identified as Kate Egbewunmi from Osogbo, Osun State, said her daughter, Bose, who is her only child, went missing about three months ago while playing outside their home.
Egbewunmi, who described herself as a single mother, said she was encouraged to visit the police headquarters after hearing that several children had been rescued.
“I am a single mother. Bose is my only child. I heard some children had been rescued and came here hoping to find her,” she said.
The Oyo State Police Command had appealed to parents and guardians whose children had gone missing to visit the command and assist in identifying the rescued children.
The Police Commissioner, Abimbola Olugbenga, disclosed that investigations into an alleged child trafficking syndicate resulted in the rescue of 17 children across Oyo, Ogun and Delta states.
According to the police, the investigation initially began following a petition involving conspiracy and cyberbullying but later uncovered allegations of child abduction, sale and concealment.
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A key suspect, Adejoke Popoola, also known as Orente Alagbo, allegedly confessed to abducting more than 15 children between the ages of two and seven from churches, parties and other public gatherings.
The police further said investigations had uncovered allegations that some children who died while in captivity were allegedly sold to ritualists.
Authorities said efforts were ongoing to identify additional victims, arrest other members of the alleged syndicate and reunite the rescued children with their families.
Parents of missing children have been urged to report to the police command and provide relevant information that could assist the investigation and identification process.
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