PRES. TRUMP AWARDED INAUGURAL FIFA PEACE PRIZE AT WORLD CUP DRAW IN WASHINGTON . (PHOTOS).
Abuja Pastor, Deaconess Arrested for Alleged Child Trafficking, Attempted Sale of Boy for ₦1.2m
Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have arrested Rev. Pastor Prince Bassey Ajah, General Overseer of Wells of Salvation Church in Abuja, along with two accomplices, Nancy Atoo and Deaconess Vera Duru, for alleged child trafficking. The arrests follow a distress call reporting suspicious activity at Wazobia Motor Park in Gwagwalada.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by FCT Police Public Relations Officer Josephine Adeh, the incident began on May 24, 2025, when officials at the motor park alerted the Gwagwalada Area Command about a man exhibiting suspicious behavior while attempting to travel with a young child. A Police Emergency Response Team was dispatched, leading to the arrest of Isreal Ajah, who was trying to board a vehicle to Owerri, Imo State, with a 7-year-old boy, Muktar Hassan, in his custody.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Isreal Ajah was acting on the instructions of his elder brother, Pastor Prince Bassey Ajah, who handed over the child. The pastor, based at Wells of Salvation Church in Byazhin Across, was promptly arrested alongside Nancy Atoo and Deaconess Vera Duru. A search of Atoo’s residence led to the rescue of another victim, a 4-year-old girl identified only as “Mercy” by the suspect. No documentation or identifying information was found for the girl, who is now in protective custody as police work to locate her biological family.
Further investigations uncovered that both children were being trafficked to Owerri for sale, with Muktar Hassan allegedly set to be sold for ₦1.2 million through arrangements facilitated by Deaconess Duru. The suspects confessed to their roles in the trafficking scheme, according to the police statement.
Muktar Hassan has since been reunited with his family, while efforts continue to trace the family of the 4-year-old girl. The arrests have sparked outrage on X, with users condemning the involvement of religious figures in such crimes and calling for stricter oversight of religious institutions.
The FCT Police Command reiterated its commitment to combating child trafficking and urged the public to report suspicious activities. The suspects are in custody, and investigations are ongoing to uncover further details of the trafficking network.
Comments
Post a Comment