A suspected member of a child-stealing and trafficking syndicate in Oyo State, Adejoke Popoola, has allegedly confessed to selling two sets of children she gave birth to and stealing 19 other children for onward sale.
Popoola, also known as Orente Alagbo, made the claims while speaking to journalists at the Oyo State Police Command headquarters in Ibadan on Monday. She said she had been involved in the alleged activities since October 2024.
According to her account, she sold a newborn boy and a set of twins. She claimed the twins were sold to a clinic in Ogeere for ₦300,000, while other children were allegedly sold for amounts ranging from ₦80,000 to ₦120,000.
Popoola said she had seven children of her own, adding that some of them were already married. She claimed that she became involved in selling babies after becoming acquainted with people operating what she described as a baby-selling business.
How She Allegedly Stole Children
The suspect reportedly told journalists that she sometimes disguised herself as a woman looking to rent a house and used the opportunity to gain access to homes where children were left unattended.
She also claimed that she sometimes posed as a spiritualist, targeting parents with children living with disabilities by promising to help them with treatment or healing.
Popoola said she was taught how to steal children by a woman she worked with at Ogeere Market. She also claimed that she operated as a herbal seller at Ariyo Bus Stop, Olunloyo, while allegedly carrying out the criminal activities.
Three-Year-Old Boy’s Disappearance
Her alleged involvement in the disappearance of a three-year-old boy, Ifakunle Ifagbenro, became a major breakthrough in the police investigation.
Police said Ifakunle disappeared during an Egungun festival in Oyo Town on June 29, 2026. According to the Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga, photographs and video recordings from the event showed Popoola carrying the child shortly before he disappeared.
Popoola was arrested on August 4 and allegedly admitted leaving the festival with the boy. She subsequently told investigators that she had been involved in stealing more than 15 children between the ages of two and seven from churches, parties and other public gatherings in Oyo State and beyond.
She reportedly recounted that she carried Ifakunle on her back and fled with him after joining the procession at the festival.
The child was eventually rescued around the Gbagi area of Ibadan on August 20 following information obtained during the investigation.
Police Uncover Wider Trafficking Network
According to the police, the investigation eventually uncovered a suspected interstate child-trafficking network operating across Oyo, Ogun and Delta states.
The police said Popoola identified Adekanbi Janet, also known as Hosanna, as an alleged accomplice. Janet was subsequently arrested in Mowe, Ogun State, where four children aged between two and four were reportedly rescued, alongside two pregnant young women.
Police said Janet allegedly disclosed that some stolen children were kept until buyers were found, while pregnant women were allegedly kept until they gave birth.
Investigators later travelled to Agbor, Delta State, where four children allegedly stolen from Oyo were rescued from people suspected of having bought them. Two suspects, identified as Christopher Joy, 48, and Rosemary Jesse, 53, were arrested in connection with the operation.
Six Children Reportedly Died
In another disturbing revelation, Popoola reportedly claimed that six of the 19 children she allegedly kidnapped had died.
The police separately confirmed that six children reportedly died while in the custody of their alleged abductors. The deceased were identified as Musharaf Lawal Tajudeen, 2; Greatness Adeagbo, 5; Sainat Amoo, 2; Taiwo Usman, 2; Daniel Solomon Olayinka, 7; and Miracle Olaniyi, 4.
The police commissioner also said the investigation uncovered allegations that the bodies of children who died in captivity were sold to suspected ritualists. This led to the arrest of Muritala Fasasi, an Islamic cleric, and Yakubu Azeez, a herbalist, who police said were allegedly connected to the ritual aspect of the case.
17 Children Rescued
The Oyo State Police Command said 17 children have so far been rescued, while seven suspects have been arrested in connection with the investigation.
The command urged parents and guardians who have lost children in recent times to visit its headquarters at Eleyele, Ibadan, to identify the rescued children and facilitate their reunification with their families.
Police said investigations were still ongoing to uncover the full structure of the suspected syndicate, locate other missing children and establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the children reportedly lost while in captivity.
The suspects remain allegations at this stage and will be subject to due process and determination by the appropriate court.