Men of the Nigeria Police have arrested a child-trafficking syndicate led by Pastor Dayo Bernard of the End Time Army Ministry, Bukuru, Plateau State.
The arrest which was made on December 2, 2024, led to the rescue of five children between the ages of 2 and 4, abducted from various homes in Jos, Plateau State, and the arrest of other members of the syndicate comprising of three females identified as Rita Agboeze, Victoria Ugwu, Nanman Puntel, and one male Peter Ukwuani.
According to a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the pastor confessed to have abducted and sold 13 children at varying prices, all of whom have been recovered by the police and reunited with their families through the Plateau State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.
The statement further revealed that on November 1, 2024, operatives of the FID-IRT arrested a 35-year-old Ogaga Dickson, a member of a notorious armed robbery syndicate responsible for the death of CSP Hassan Jega, the DPO Agbarho Division, Delta State.
It was stated that on October 14, 2024, Dickson, during a fierce gun battle between a team of police officers led by the deceased DPO and the assailants, after the team of policemen had foiled one of their robbery operations killed the DPO.
“The operatives had earlier stormed the gang’s den and engaged them in a fierce gun duel leading to the neutralisation of four of the gang members. Upon Ogaga’s arrest, the police recovered one Ak 47 rifle, one English pistol, one locally made pistol, ammunition of various calibres and six exotic vehicles.