Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have rescued 207 abducted children nationwide and thwarted multiple bandit attacks across the country.
The police said a syndicate involved in child abduction and trafficking in Akure, Ondo State had been dismantled, rescuing 14 children.
A statement on Monday by the Force Spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the police, acting on intelligence regarding a missing child, arrested three suspects —Abosede Olanipekun, Lukman Isiaka, and Sabira Izuorah— and rescued 14 children aged between one week and seven years.
“The Nigeria Police Force has escalated its initiatives to combat human trafficking and the operation of illegal baby factories, successfully rescuing more than 207 abducted children from suspected traffickers nationwide.
“A significant breakthrough was achieved with the arrest of a syndicate involved in child abduction and trafficking by the Ondo State Police Command, following intelligence regarding a missing child at Okuta Elerin-Nla, Akure.
“Acting on intelligence regarding a missing child, the operatives arrested three suspects—Abosede Olanipekun, Lukman Isiaka, and Sabira Izuorah—and rescued 14 children aged between one week and seven years.
“The operatives apprehended members of the syndicate, identified as Abosede Olanipekun ‘f’, Lukman Isiaka ‘m’, and Sabira Izuorah ‘f’, and rescued 14 children between the ages of one week – seven years old,” the statement added.
Adejobi also said on January 18, 2025, operatives attached to the Kogi State Command intercepted a group of armed bandits holding a strategic meeting in a forest in Budon, Kogi State.
In a separate operation on the same day, he added that police operatives in Katsina State, working in collaboration with other security agencies, thwarted an imminent attack on Ruwan Doruwa Village in Dutsinma Local Government Area.
Adejobi said, “On January 18, 2025, police operatives attached to the Kogi State Command got information of a group of bandits holding a strategic meeting for possible attack at a forest in Budon, Kogi State.
“Operatives of the command were mobilised and deployed to the scene. Upon sighting the police operatives, the bandits engaged the police operatives in a fierce gun duel. Fortunately, the bandits were overpowered, with one bandit neutralised and four others arrested. The operatives also recovered one AK-47 rifle, two magazines, 30 rounds of live ammunition and two motorcycles.
“Similarly, on the same January 18, 2025, a distress call was received at the Dutsinma Divisional Police Headquarters, Katsina State that some suspected armed bandits, armed with dangerous weapons, were headed to attack Ruwan Doruwa Village, Dutsinma LGA of the state.
“Upon receipt of this call, police operatives in collaboration with other security agencies mobilised, intercepted the armed bandits and engaged them in a fierce gun battle ultimately leading to the neutralisation of seven of the bandits, with the rest of the gang fleeing and abandoning 109 livestock suspected to be rustled animals.”
