The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested a pastor and three others over an attempted child trafficking operation foiled in the Gwagwalada area of Abuja.
According to a statement released by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, the arrest was made in the early hours of Saturday, May 24, after a man was seen behaving suspiciously while attempting to board a vehicle to Owerri, Imo State, with a young boy at Wazobia Motor Park.
Police responded to a distress call around 2:00 a.m. and promptly dispatched an emergency response team to the park. The suspect, identified as Isreal Ajah, was apprehended alongside a 7-year-old boy later identified as Muktar Hassan.
Further investigation, according to the statement, revealed that the child had been handed over to the suspect by his elder brother, Rev. Pastor Prince Bassey Ajah, General Overseer of the Wells of Salvation Church in Byazhin Across, Abuja. Pastor Ajah was subsequently arrested, along with two female accomplices, Nancy Atoo and Deaconess Vera Duru.
A search of Nancy Atoo’s residence led to the discovery of a second victim a 4-year-old girl referred to as “Mercy” by the suspects. The girl, found without any form of identification or known relatives, has since been placed in protective custody as police continue efforts to locate her family.
Police say the suspects confessed to trafficking the children to Owerri for the purpose of illegal sale. Investigators revealed that Muktar was to be sold for ₦1.2 million, a transaction allegedly facilitated by Deaconess Vera Duru.
FCT Commissioner of Police, Ajao Adewale, praised the alertness of the motor park workers and the swift response by officers, emphasizing the critical role of community vigilance in crime prevention. He also urged parents to exercise greater caution in entrusting young children with unsupervised responsibilities.
Investigations are said to be ongoing as authorities work to reunite the rescued children with their families and ensure the suspects are brought to justice. The FCT Police Command has called on residents to report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station