Operatives of the Ogun State Community, Social Orientation and Safety Corps, popularly known as So-Safe Corps, have rescued three siblings who went missing from their home in Ifote Village, Ifo Local Government Area of the state.
The children, aged 13, eight and six, were found safe and alive at the Arepo railway bridge in the early hours of Tuesday, November 3, 2026, following an overnight search operation coordinated by the Onireke Divisional Headquarters of the Corps.
The father of the children, Mr Shittu Dauda, a 45-year-old bricklayer, had reported the incident to the Divisional Officer of Onireke, SC Jinadu Okikiola, at about 9:45pm on Monday after discovering that his three children had been missing since around 3pm.
Dauda said he had instructed the children, through their eldest sibling, Mary, to go to school for registration at about 8am before leaving for work. However, on his return home, he discovered that the children had left with some of their belongings and could not be found.
Following information from residents that the children had mentioned they were travelling to Arepo, SC Jinadu immediately mobilised officers for an intensive search. The operation covered several communities and locations, including Ifote, Oloparun, Shonekan, Shofowote, Seriki and Kajola, before the team extended its search to Arepo.
The search finally yielded results at about 1:30am when the officers located the three siblings sleeping with their belongings under the Arepo railway bridge. The Divisional Officer immediately contacted their father and other community members, while the children were conveyed back to their community at about 2:30am.
Further investigation and counselling later revealed that the family had been experiencing marital disagreements, which reportedly affected the children. The eldest child, Mary, was also said to have disclosed that she independently decided to leave home with her younger siblings.
The Corps subsequently invited both parents for questioning and counselling, while the Divisional Officer advised them to resolve their differences amicably and prioritise the safety, emotional well-being and proper care of their children. He also warned that any recurrence of circumstances exposing the children to neglect or danger could attract appropriate legal action.
Mary was equally counselled against leaving home without the knowledge of her parents or trusted adults and advised to communicate her concerns rather than undertaking dangerous journeys with her younger siblings.
Speaking on the incident, the State Commander of the So-Safe Corps, Cmdr. (Dr.) Soji Ganzallo, commended SC Jinadu Okikiola and his team for their prompt response, determination and successful overnight operation, which led to the safe recovery of the children.
Ganzallo also urged parents and guardians to place the welfare and protection of children above family disagreements, stressing that disputes between adults should never compromise the safety and upbringing of minors.
He further called on members of the public to take greater responsibility for child protection by promptly alerting security agencies whenever they encounter children wandering, travelling without adult supervision or found in circumstances that could place them in danger.
He assured residents that the So-Safe Corps would continue to strengthen community-based security and respond promptly to incidents involving vulnerable persons, while urging the public to cooperate with the Corps in safeguarding lives and property.
