Police in Delta State have rescued a two-year-old child who was allegedly abducted and taken from a market in Warri.
According to reports, operatives of the Quick Response Squad in Warri carried out the rescue on May 10, 2026, at about 7:15 pm, and also stopped a mob from attacking the suspect at Igbudu Market.
The suspect, identified as Fejiro Obaduemu, 29, of Idesor Street, Isi Layout, Warri, was reportedly caught by residents while carrying the child hidden in a sack, which raised suspicion of child theft.
Police spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, said in a statement that “Before the suspect could be mobbed, operatives of the QRS swiftly responded to the scene, rescued both the suspect and the child, and evacuated them to safety,”
He added that the suspect, who was injured during the mob action, was taken to the Police Clinic in Warri for treatment before being placed in custody for investigation.
Further investigations led to the recovery and identification of the child’s parents on May 11, 2026, after which the child was reunited with the family in the presence of Hausa community leaders in Warri.
The police also said “Further investigation conducted on 11 May 2026 led to the successful tracing of the child’s parents, and the child was formally reunited with the family in the presence of leaders of the Hausa community in Warri,”
According to the statement, the suspect allegedly confessed that he was sent by an unidentified person to steal the child, while efforts are ongoing to track down the accomplice.
Delta State Police Commissioner, CP Yemi Oyeniyi, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to child protection and urged residents to report suspicious activities, sharing emergency contacts for quick response.
