Couple arrested for allegedly stealing four-month-old baby

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a couple, Mathew Ugochukwu and his wife, Oluwarankami Ugochukwu, for allegedly stealing a four-month-old baby in the Mowe area of Ogun State. Police also recovered two other children from the suspects during the operation. The command’s spokesperson, Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday. Babaseyi said […]

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a couple, Mathew Ugochukwu and his wife, Oluwarankami Ugochukwu, for allegedly stealing a four-month-old baby in the Mowe area of Ogun State.

Police also recovered two other children from the suspects during the operation.

The command’s spokesperson, Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

Babaseyi said the incident occurred after Oluwarankami allegedly visited the baby’s mother, who was ill and receiving treatment at a clinic in Mowe on Saturday.

He said the suspect reportedly convinced the mother to hand over the baby, claiming she would take care of the child while the woman rested, before absconding with the infant.

 

According to him, detectives from the Mowe Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Folake Afeniforo, immediately launched an operation after receiving the report.

 

He said motor parks and other strategic locations in the area were placed on red alert as part of efforts to track down the suspects.

 

The police spokesman disclosed that one of the children recovered had earlier been declared missing in 2024.

 

He added that the biological parents of the recovered children had been contacted and had identified them.

 

According to him, the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, for further investigation aimed at uncovering the full extent of the alleged syndicate and prosecuting all those connected to the crime.