NPF Uncovers Child-Stealing, Trafficking Syndicate, Rescue 17 Children

The Nigeria Police Force, through the Oyo State Command, has uncovered a child-stealing and human trafficking network operating across state lines, rescuing 17 children and arresting seven suspects following an intelligence-led investigation.
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The investigation commenced following credible intelligence concerning the disappearance of a three-year-old child, Ifakunle Ifagbenro, who went missing during a masquerade festival in Oyo Town on 29 June 2026. Following extensive investigative efforts, detectives identified and arrested Adejoke Popoola, also known as Orente Alagbo, on 4 August 2026.

Upon her arrest, Popoola disclosed her involvement in the alleged stealing, movement and sale of children from churches, parties and other event venues within and outside Oyo State. Her disclosures also led detectives to Adekanbi Janet, also known as Hosanna, who was subsequently arrested in Mowe, Ogun State. Four children and two pregnant young women were rescued from her custody.

Further information obtained during the investigation provided leads to the whereabouts of Ifakunle, resulting in his rescue in the Gbagi area of Ibadan on 20 August 2026. The investigation subsequently revealed that the criminal network extended beyond Oyo and Ogun States.

Acting on the emerging leads, Police detectives on 2 September 2026 extended the operation to Agbor, Delta State, where four children allegedly stolen from Oyo State were rescued from persons suspected to have illegally acquired them. Christopher Joy and Rosemary Jesse were arrested in connection with the operation, further confirming the interstate nature of the criminal network.

The investigation also uncovered allegations that deceased victims were transferred to persons involved in ritual activities. This led to the arrest of Muritala Fasasi and Yakubu Azeez, who are being investigated in connection with the alleged use of victims for ritual purposes. The Command has also received information concerning six children who allegedly died while in the custody of members of the network, with efforts ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, psc(+), NPM, commended the Oyo State Command for the breakthrough and directed that efforts be sustained to dismantle the entire network, locate additional missing children and ensure that all persons found culpable are brought to justice.

Trafficking

The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to protecting children and other vulnerable persons, dismantling criminal networks and ensuring that perpetrators of child-related crimes are brought to justice in accordance with the law.

CSP Ani Iniedu, anipr
Force Public Relations Officer
Force Headquarters, Abuja
7th September, 2026
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ICPC Strengthen Collaboration with NYSC Deploys 11-Member Watchdog, Targets Budget, Operations Loopholes

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have strengthened the Scheme’s internal anti-corruption framework with the inauguration of an 11-member Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU), tasked with monitoring budget implementation, identifying operational loopholes and promoting ethical conduct.
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The development marks a fresh push by both institutions to deepen accountability within the NYSC, with the ICPC charging the newly inducted members to operate with objectivity, confidentiality, diligence and the highest ethical standards.

The ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, gave the charge during the inauguration and induction ceremony at the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja.

Dr Aliyu, represented by Olusegun Adigun, described the inauguration as an important step towards strengthening internal controls and institutionalising anti-corruption practices within the Scheme.

He said ACTU was established to work as a complementary oversight mechanism alongside NYSC management and was not intended to compete with the management or interfere with routine administrative responsibilities.

The ICPC Chairman said ACTUs established across Ministries, Departments and Agencies were part of efforts to strengthen preventive anti-corruption mechanisms within the public service.

He charged the 11 members to monitor budget implementation and relevant operational activities, identify areas vulnerable to corrupt practices and promote compliance with existing rules.

“The scale of NYSC operations makes transparency, accountability and strong internal controls essential to maintaining public confidence and safeguarding public resources,” Aliyu said.

He said the unit must contribute meaningfully to strengthening the NYSC integrity framework and ensuring that anti-corruption measures were effectively implemented.

The ICPC also tasked the ACTU with organising sensitisation and training programmes to improve awareness of corruption risks and ethical conduct among NYSC staff.

Dr Aliyu warned the newly inducted members that their effectiveness would depend largely on their ability to remain objective and professional while handling sensitive institutional matters.

He urged them to discharge their responsibilities with utmost confidentiality, diligence and professionalism, while maintaining the independence of their assessments.

The Chairman also called on NYSC management to provide the ACTU with the necessary support to operate effectively in line with extant government guidelines.

According to him, effective collaboration between management and the ACTU would strengthen accountability and enhance public confidence in the Scheme.

The NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, reaffirmed the Scheme’s commitment to accountability, integrity and zero tolerance for corruption.

Brigadier General Nafiu, represented by the Director of Legal Services, Chris Ogar, described the fight against corruption as a collective responsibility requiring the participation of management, employees and institutional oversight bodies.

He commended the ACTU for its role in promoting ethical awareness and identifying areas vulnerable to corrupt practices.

“As you assume this responsibility, I urge you to discharge your duties with integrity, courage, impartiality and strict adherence to extant rules and regulations,” Nafiu said.

The Director-General charged the members to lead by example and ensure their conduct matched the standards they were expected to promote across the Scheme.

“Be proactive in promoting compliance and blocking loopholes that will encourage unethical practices,” he added.

The inauguration gives the NYSC an 11-member internal anti-corruption structure with a specific mandate to promote prevention, compliance and transparency across its operations.

For the ICPC, the deployment reinforces its strategy of working through institutional ACTUs to identify corruption risks before they escalate into major violations.

ICPC

For the NYSC, the new unit comes with a mandate to strengthen internal controls around public resources, budget implementation and operational activities while promoting ethical conduct among staff.

The two institutions said sustained collaboration, effective oversight and proactive identification of vulnerabilities would be critical to closing loopholes and strengthening public confidence in the Scheme.
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Olukoyede Rejects Calls for Single Agency, Says “No Assets Recovered by EFCC will be Mismanaged Under my Watch”

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has rejected calls for the creation of a single agency to manage all assets recovered by government agencies, arguing that such an arrangement would be impractical given the scale of recoveries across the country.
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Olukoyede stated this in a post on his X account on Tuesday while weighing in on the ongoing debate over the management of forfeited assets.

The EFCC chairman, who previously served as Secretary of the commission and was involved in asset management, said his position was based on practical experience rather than commentary.

The chairman’s comments come against the backdrop of the increasing volume of assets recovered by the EFCC and other government agencies.

“I have followed the debate on managing forfeited assets closely. I am not a commentator on this — I am a practitioner. As Secretary of the EFCC, I managed assets for years.

“Some are calling for a single agency to handle all recovered assets. It was tried in the UK at a cost of over £34 million and folded within a year. South Africa tried it too. Sixteen months. Look it up.

“And consider the scale here. Over 20 statutory agencies recover assets for government. The Police alone have divisions in nearly every local government and stations in most wards, all forfeiting assets. No single agency could manage the Police holdings alone, let alone everyone else’s.

“We should also remember AMCON, set up to manage recovered assets — the government lost over ₦5 trillion there”, the anti-graft boss stated in his post.

Olukoyede argued that the Proceeds of Crime Act provides a more appropriate framework by placing responsibility for recovered assets on the agencies that recover them.

At a briefing in Abuja last week, Olukoyede said the EFCC had secured interim and final forfeiture orders covering 10,053 tangible assets under his leadership. The assets included real estate, vehicles, plots of land, electronic items, schools, factories, hotels, oil rigs, barges, machinery and aircraft, as well as 102 tonnes of solid minerals.

He also disclosed that proceeds from the disposal of finally forfeited assets amounted to approximately N12.07bn and had been paid to the Federal Government. The EFCC chairman said the commission recovered more than N1.23tn, $684.48m, £373,905.78 and €9.34m between October 2023 and June 2026, while N661.32bn and $492.37m had been released to beneficiaries.

The management and disposal of recovered assets have, however, remained subjects of public debate, particularly over transparency, accountability and the roles of agencies involved in the recovery process.

Earlier this year, Olukoyede also praised the Proceeds of Crime Act for streamlining the EFCC’s asset recovery and management processes, saying the law provided legal backing for the commission’s activities and helped reduce delays between forfeiture and disposal.

The debate has also been reflected in recent commentary over the commission’s handling of forfeited assets, including questions about the processes used in disposing of properties and other items recovered from suspected proceeds of crime.

Olukoyede

Olukoyede, however, maintained that the focus should be on enforcing existing accountability mechanisms rather than establishing another central institution to take over the assets recovered by various agencies.

He therefore challenged all government agencies involved in asset recovery to account for what they recover and how the assets are subsequently managed.
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