The FCT Police Command has dismantled a child trafficking syndicate in Abuja, leading to the arrest of a pastor and three accomplices. The operation began when staff at Wazobia Motor Park in Gwagwalada raised an alarm over the suspicious behavior of a man, later identified as Israel Ajah, who was caught trying to board a vehicle to Owerri, Imo State, with a 7-year-old boy. Quick intervention by the Police Emergency Response Team led to his arrest and the rescue of the child.
Investigations revealed that the child had been handed to Israel Ajah by his elder brother, Rev. Pastor Prince Bassey Ajah, the General Overseer of “Wells of Salvation” Church. Pastor Ajah was arrested alongside two others: Nancy Atoo and Deaconess Vera Duru. A second child, a 4-year-old girl named “Mercy,” was discovered at Atoo’s residence with no identification documents. Both children were allegedly being trafficked to Owerri to be sold, with one of them, Muktar Hassan, priced at ₦1.2 million.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Ajao Adewale, praised the vigilance of the motor park staff and the swift response of law enforcement. He emphasized the importance of community alertness and warned parents against letting minors travel alone. He urged residents to report suspicious activity using designated emergency lines as investigations into the trafficking network continue.
