Security agencies arrest child traffickers disguised as evangelists
The security agencies in Plateau State have successfully dismantled a child trafficking gang disguised as evangelists, leading to the arrest of five individuals involved in the heinous crime.
Among those apprehended were Pastor Di Bernard, the leader of the “End Time Army Ministry” in Bukuru, along with Peter (male), Namman Pel (female), Victoria Ugu (female), and R. Au (female from Karu, Abuja).
A report from Symfoni TV revealed that the gang specialised in kidnapping children and selling them at prices ranging from N350,000 to N750,000 to unsuspecting members of the public.
On December 2, 2024, law enforcement agencies conducted an intelligence-led operation that resulted in the rescue of five children, aged between two and four, who had been kidnapped from Jos and surrounding areas in Plateau State.
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During questioning, the suspects divulged details of their trafficking network, with Pastor Di Bernard admitting to exploiting his role as an evangelist to deceive parents into giving up their children.
“I went to Quanpan District in Plateau State under the disguise of evangelism, I told the parents that I had an NGO offering sponsorship for education, from primary school all the way to higher institutions.”
The investigation showed that between April and November 2024, Pastor Di Bernard had worked with R. Au to abduct no fewer than eight children from different communities in the Kanke and Bassa Local Government Areas of Plateau State.
The children were then sold to buyers in various states, including Plateau, Abia, Enugu, and Lagos, at prices ranging from N350,000 to N750,000 per child.
The children were sold under the guise of adoption, with the buyers subsequently changing the children’s names. Law enforcement agencies have so far successfully rescued 13 children, aged between two and ten years.
The children were returned to their families through the efforts of the Plateau State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.
“This case is so pathetic, young children are being traded by certain individuals,” an official involved in the investigation remarked.
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