The Ogun State Police Command says it has arrested a husband and wife over their alleged involvement in child stealing and rescued three children believed to have been abducted in separate incidents in Mowe, Ogun State.

According to the police, detectives attached to the Mowe Division arrested the suspects — Oluwarankami Kehinde Ugochukwu and her husband, Ugochukwu Mathew — following an intelligence-led operation carried out on 18 May.

Police spokesperson DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi said officers rescued a four-month-old baby allegedly stolen from a nursing mother receiving treatment at a clinic in Mowe.

The command said the mother had reported the incident on 17 May after the suspect allegedly approached her under the pretence of helping to care for the baby while she rested.

Investigators say the woman disappeared with the child shortly afterwards.

How police tracked the suspects

Police said detectives immediately launched a search operation, placing motor parks and strategic locations under surveillance while intensifying intelligence gathering across the area.

According to the statement, officers later traced the suspects to a hideout in the Kekere Ekun area of Mowe, where the missing baby was found alongside two other children.

The couple were subsequently arrested and taken into custody.

One rescued child linked to earlier missing-person case

The police said preliminary investigations revealed that one of the rescued children had earlier been declared missing in a 2024 child-stealing case.

Authorities alleged that the child had been taken from a hairdressing salon using a similar deceptive tactic in which assistance was offered to the caregiver before the child was taken away.

Police added that the biological parents of two of the rescued children had already identified and reunited with their children.

The case has now been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Eleweran for further investigation.

Why the case matters

Child trafficking and abduction remain a growing concern in parts of Nigeria, with rights groups and security analysts repeatedly calling for stronger surveillance, public awareness, and improved child protection systems.

Cases involving infants and toddlers often trigger widespread public concern because suspects frequently exploit trust, crowded public spaces, and moments of vulnerability among parents.

Security experts say intelligence-led policing and faster public reporting are becoming increasingly important in tackling organised child-stealing networks.

Parents and guardians have also been urged to remain cautious when approached by strangers offering assistance in hospitals, markets, salons, and other public spaces.

Police commend officers, vow crackdown on child trafficking

The Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, CP Bode Ojajuni, praised officers attached to the Mowe Division for what he described as their swift and professional response.

The police command said the operation demonstrated its commitment to combating child trafficking, abduction, and violent crimes across the state.

In the statement, CP Ojajuni urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements or criminal activities through the command’s emergency channels.

Separate police event highlights officer training and professionalism

In a separate development, CP Bode Ojajuni hosted members of the Nigeria Police Shooting Association at the Ogun State Police Command headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta.

The delegation, led by the association’s Vice Chairman, SP Theresa Ogboi, congratulated the police commissioner on his posting to Ogun State and praised his contributions to shooting sports within the Nigeria Police Force.

SP Ogboi described the commissioner as “a passionate advocate of shooting sports” and credited his past leadership roles in Lagos State with helping to advance the association’s activities.

During the meeting, CP Ojajuni stressed the importance of continuous training, discipline, and operational efficiency within the police force.

He said shooting sports help officers develop “concentration, mental alertness, discipline, precision, and accuracy” — qualities he described as essential for effective policing.

Senior officers, including DCP Bolanle Muritala, DCP Ibrahim Abdul, and DCP Gbenga Adeoye, also emphasised the need for capacity building and professionalism among officers.

The visit ended with an interactive session and group photographs.

Nigeria’s anti-narcotics agency says it has dismantled a major transnational methamphetamine cartel involving Nigerian and Mexican nationals, following coordinated raids in Ogun and Lagos states that led to the seizure of drugs and chemicals valued at more than N480bn.

The operation, carried out by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), resulted in the arrest of 10 suspects, including alleged cartel leader Innocent Anochili, three Mexican nationals accused of producing methamphetamine, and six Nigerian collaborators.

Officials described the operation as one of the largest anti-drug crackdowns in Nigeria’s history.

Massive meth lab discovered in Ogun forest

According to the NDLEA, operatives from its Special Operations Unit stormed a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory hidden inside a forest in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State on 16 May.

The agency said the facility was disguised as a farm and used for industrial-scale meth production.

At the same time, another tactical team raided a luxury residence in the Lakowe area of Lekki, Lagos, where the alleged kingpin, Innocent Anochili, was arrested.

NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Mohamed Buba Marwa, said the operation followed months of intelligence gathering.

“This network did not just traffic drugs; they were actively manufacturing industrial-scale quantities of highly lethal illicit substances right on our soil,” Marwa said during a media briefing in Abuja.

He added that the operation “sends an unequivocal message to drug barons both locally and internationally that Nigeria is a hostile territory for their business”.

Three Mexican nationals arrested

The NDLEA said three Mexican citizens were arrested at the forest laboratory alongside four Nigerian suspects.

The Mexicans were identified as Martinez Felix Nemecto, Jesus López Valles, and Torrero Juan Carlos.

Nigerian suspects arrested at the lab include Nwankwo Sunday Christian, Igwe Abuchi Remijus, Ifeanyichukwu Chibuike Joshua, and Egwuonwu Uchenna Victor.

Investigators later arrested another suspect, Kingsley Orike Omonughwa, during follow-up operations in Lagos.

Authorities said passports and mobile phones belonging to the Mexican nationals were recovered from Anochili’s residence, which investigators believe links him directly to the operation.

NDLEA says seizure worth over N480bn

The NDLEA said it recovered more than 2.4 tonnes of methamphetamine and precursor chemicals from the site.

According to the agency, the drugs and chemical materials have an estimated international street value of $362.9m, equivalent to more than N480bn.

Officials also seized vehicles allegedly used by the cartel, including a Toyota Tacoma and a Toyota Highlander.

Marwa warned that the drugs could have produced “millions of street doses” capable of causing widespread addiction, violence, and mental health problems.

Why the operation matters

The raid highlights growing concerns among security agencies about the expansion of international drug cartels into West Africa.

Experts say Nigeria’s strategic location, large population, and access to shipping routes have made it attractive to organised criminal networks involved in narcotics production and trafficking.

Security analysts have also warned about the increasing involvement of foreign criminal syndicates in local drug manufacturing operations.

The NDLEA said the discovery confirms intelligence suggesting that some Nigerian cartels are now importing foreign “technical experts” to establish meth laboratories in rural communities.

Industry and public reaction

Anti-drug advocates have welcomed the operation, describing it as a significant breakthrough against organised crime.

Public health experts say methamphetamine abuse poses severe long-term risks, including addiction, psychosis, cardiovascular disease, and violent behaviour.

Residents in parts of Ogun State have also expressed concern over criminal operations being hidden in remote farming communities.

The NDLEA urged Nigerians to report suspicious chemical smells, unusual activities, and hidden industrial operations in their neighbourhoods.

“This war is for the soul of our nation, and we will not back down until we achieve a drug-free Nigeria,” Marwa said.

What happens next?

The suspects are expected to face prosecution after investigations are completed.

The NDLEA said it would continue collaborating with international partners to track and dismantle transnational drug trafficking organisations operating in Nigeria.

The latest arrests come weeks after the agency announced another major operation involving an international drug trafficking syndicate allegedly linked to multiple countries.

The Ogun State Police Command says it has neutralized a suspected kidnapping kingpin during an intelligence-led raid on a criminal hideout in the Orile Ilugun Forest area along the Abeokuta-Ibadan Expressway.

Police said operatives from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit carried out the operation early on 19 May after tracking suspects linked to the abduction of a victim kidnapped on 14 May at Nufats Fuel Station in Odeda Local Government Area.

According to the police, the victim was released unharmed on 18 May at about 8:30pm.

Authorities say officers later stormed the forest hideout at about 6:00am following what they described as “credible intelligence”.

In a statement, the Ogun State Police Command said the suspects opened fire on officers upon sighting them, triggering a gun battle.

Police said the suspected gang leader was killed during the exchange, while other members of the group escaped into the forest with gunshot wounds.

Weapons, cash and phones recovered

The police said officers recovered an AK-47 rifle loaded with 20 rounds of 5.6mm live ammunition from the scene.

They also recovered ₦2m in cash and two mobile phones believed to belong to the criminal syndicate.

The corpse of the suspected kingpin has been deposited at a morgue for autopsy, while security operatives continue efforts to arrest fleeing members of the gang.

Why the operation matters

Kidnapping has remained a major security concern across parts of south-west Nigeria, particularly along highways connecting commercial cities and rural communities.

The Abeokuta-Ibadan Expressway has witnessed growing concerns from commuters and residents over armed attacks and abductions in recent years.

Security analysts say intelligence-led operations such as this one could disrupt criminal networks operating within forest corridors frequently used as hideouts.

However, experts also warn that sustained surveillance, inter-state collaboration and community intelligence are necessary to prevent criminal groups from regrouping.

Police praise operatives after gun duel

The Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Bode Ojajuni, commended officers involved in the operation.

“The CP reiterates the Command’s unwavering commitment to combating kidnapping and other violent crimes across Ogun State,” the statement said.

Police spokesperson DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity through the command’s emergency lines.

Public reaction and security concerns

Residents and road users along the Abeokuta-Ibadan corridor have repeatedly called for tighter security patrols following reports of kidnappings and armed robberies in the area.

Some commuters expressed relief at the latest development, while others urged authorities to maintain pressure on criminal groups operating in forested areas bordering major highways.

Security observers say improved intelligence gathering and rapid-response policing could help restore public confidence in highway safety across Ogun State.

What happens next?

Police say investigations are continuing to identify and arrest other members of the syndicate who escaped during the operation.

Authorities are also expected to carry out forensic examinations on the recovered phones and weapons as part of ongoing investigations into kidnapping activities in the region.