Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have rescued four kidnapped children in Lagos after a suspected female trafficker abandoned them and fled upon sighting police officers during a patrol operation.
According to a statement issued by the command’s spokesperson, Superintendent of Police Abimbola Adebisi, the rescue followed a routine patrol carried out at Alafia Bus Terminal in the Coker-Orile area of Lagos on May 8, 2026, at about 11:40 p.m.
The statement revealed that patrol officers noticed four children in the company of an unidentified woman preparing to board a luxurious bus heading out of Lagos State. However, the woman reportedly escaped immediately after noticing the presence of the police team, leaving the children behind.
Preliminary investigations showed that the children had allegedly been kidnapped earlier from the Ijesha-Tedo area and were being moved out of the state under the cover of darkness before the swift intervention of the police frustrated the operation.
The children were immediately taken into protective custody while efforts were made to contact their families. Police authorities later confirmed that all four children had been safely reunited with their parents.
The rescued children and their mothers.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, commended the vigilance and professionalism of the patrol officers involved in the successful rescue operation. He also reassured residents of the command’s commitment to protecting lives and tackling crimes involving children and vulnerable persons across the state.
The police boss further advised parents and guardians to remain alert and closely monitor the safety and whereabouts of their children, while urging members of the public to promptly report suspicious activities involving children to security agencies.
Investigation is currently ongoing as the police intensify efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspect and uncover other individuals connected to the alleged child trafficking operation.
