The police in Warri, Delta State, have rescued a two-year-old child allegedly abducted and prevented a mob attack on a suspect at Igbudu Market.
The incident occurred on May 10, 2026, at about 7:15 pm, when operatives of the Quick Response Squad (QRS), Warri, swiftly intervened and evacuated both the child and the suspect to safety.
According to the Delta State Police Command spokesperson, Bright Edafe, the suspect, identified as 29-year-old Fejiro Obaduemu of Idesor Street, Isi Layout, Warri, was intercepted by residents after being found with the child allegedly concealed inside a sack bag.
Edafe said the suspect had already been attacked by an angry crowd before police arrived, but officers were able to rescue him and the child, while preventing a possible lynching.
He added that the suspect, who sustained injuries from mob action, was taken to the Police Clinic in Warri for treatment before being taken into custody for investigation.
Further investigation reportedly led to the tracing and identification of the child’s parents on May 11, 2026, after which the toddler was reunited with the family in the presence of Hausa community leaders in Warri.
Preliminary findings also suggest that the suspect confessed to being sent by an unidentified individual to steal the child, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the alleged accomplice.
Delta State Commissioner of Police, Yemi Oyeniyi, assured residents of the command’s commitment to protecting children and tackling human trafficking and related crimes.
He urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements involving children to security agencies or emergency hotlines.