Oyo Police rescue 17 children, arrest seven in alleged trafficking investigation
Oyo State Police say they have rescued 17 children and arrested seven suspects in an investigation into an alleged interstate child-stealing and trafficking network.
The command also says six children died while in the custody of people linked to the alleged network.
Because the case involves children and unresolved criminal allegations, IDNN is withholding the identities of the rescued and deceased children.
Investigation spans three states
Police say the investigation extended across Oyo, Ogun and Delta states as detectives followed leads linked to the disappearance of a child in Oyo Town.
The command says children were recovered in different locations during the investigation.
Seven suspects have been arrested.
Those arrests do not establish guilt.
Police report six deaths
Police say six children died while in the custody of people investigators are linking to the alleged network.
That remains a police-stated outcome.
IDNN has not independently established the circumstances or cause of each death and will not generalise them into a single explanation.
Those deaths will require investigation, forensic evidence where available and judicial scrutiny.
Alleged statements remain unproven
Police say some suspects made statements alleging the sale of children and, in some cases, the disposal of deceased children for ritual purposes.
Those are grave allegations.
They have not been tested in court.
IDNN is therefore treating them strictly as police-reported statements and not as established fact.
Families asked to contact police
Police have asked parents and guardians of missing children to contact the Oyo State Police Command headquarters in Eleyele to support identification and reunification.
That is a direct public-service step in a case involving children recovered from different locations.
Any reunification process should protect the children’s identities, safety and privacy.
What is established
For now, the verified publication position is limited:
Oyo Police say 17 children have been rescued.
Seven suspects have been arrested.
Police say six children died while in the custody of people linked to the alleged network.
The investigation spans Oyo, Ogun and Delta states.
But the individual roles of those arrested, the full structure of the alleged network, the circumstances of the six deaths and the truth of the alleged statements remain matters for investigation and due process.
