The Federal Capital Territory Police Command attached to the Rapid Response Squad 74, has confirmed that a Pastor, identified as Simon Kado, has been arrested for child trafficking and other related offences.
Pastor Kado was arrested alongside a family member, Jesse Simon-Kado, and their driver named Muhammad Isah.
According to a statement by FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh on Saturday, the suspects were apprehended on Friday, February 9.
Adeh said the suspects were found to be involved in the continuous trafficking of underaged children.
The latest being the attempted trafficking of twelve children – eight girls and four boys – within the age bracket of 5 to 16 years.
The children were being trafficked from Akwanga Local Government Area in Nasarawa State to Ogun State, before the Police closed in on the suspects.
“Operatives of the FCT Police Command attached to the Rapid Response Squad 74, on Friday, February 9, at about 12:55 am, intercepted one Muhammad Isah, male, of Kafanchan, Kaduna State in a Toyota Hiace bus with Reg No APP 489 XE, conveying twelve; four male and eight female; underaged children to a destination later discovered to be in Ogun state.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the children whose ages are between five years to 16 years, all from Akwanga LGA, Nasarawa State were being trafficked to Ogun state by one Pastor Simon Kado, male, and Jesse Simon-Kado, male, who are now presently in police custody.
The statement also disclosed that Police was making efforts to reunite the victims to their families, without interrupting the ongoing investigation process.
“While the investigation is still ongoing and efforts in conduit with Nasarawa State Police Command on how to reunite victims with their respective families, the Commissioner of Police FCT, Benneth Igweh, wishes to reiterate that the safety of residents remains his utmost priority,” it read.