Lagos Police rescue four kidnapped children, reunite them with families, launch manhunt for suspect

By Adebola Isimijola, Lagos.

Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have rescued four kidnapped children and reunited them with their parents after foiling an alleged child trafficking attempt at Alafia Bus Terminal in the Coker-Orile area of Lagos.

The rescue operation was carried out late Thursday during a routine patrol by officers attached to the Command.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, the officers became suspicious after spotting four children in the company of an unidentified woman who was preparing to board a luxury bus heading out of Lagos State.

“In an attempt to evade arrest, the suspected trafficker abandoned the children and fled the scene upon sighting the Police patrol team,” the police spokesperson said in a statement issued on Saturday.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the children had earlier been kidnapped from the Ijesha-Tedo area of Lagos and were allegedly being moved out of the state under the cover of darkness before the swift intervention of the police.

The children were immediately taken into protective custody while efforts were launched to trace their families. Police authorities confirmed that the children have since been reunited with their parents.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, commended the vigilance and professionalism of the patrol officers involved in the rescue operation.

He also assured residents that the Command remains committed to tackling crimes against children and protecting vulnerable persons across the state.

Meanwhile, the police said investigation is ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect and identify other possible accomplices connected to the crime.

The Command urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements or activities involving children to the nearest police station or security agency.