The Federal Capital Territory Police Command, through its Rapid Response Squad 74, has apprehended a pastor, Simon Kado, his relative, Jesse Simon-Kado, and their driver, Muhammad Isah, on charges of child trafficking.
The arrest took place on Friday, February 9, when the suspects were intercepted while trafficking 12 underage children—eight girls and four boys aged between five and 16 years—from Nasarawa State to Ogun State.
According to SP Josephine Adeh, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, the children, hailing from Akwanga LGA, Nasarawa State, were being transported in a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number APP 489 XE.
Preliminary investigations revealed the involvement of Pastor Simon Kado and Jesse Simon-Kado in the trafficking operation. The suspects are currently in police custody, while efforts are underway, in collaboration with the Nasarawa State Police Command, to reunite the victims with their respective families.
The Commissioner of Police, FCT, Benneth Igweh, emphasised the commitment of the police to ensuring the safety of residents, with investigations ongoing into the case. This arrest comes amidst a surge in kidnapping and bandit attacks in the FCT, with recent operations resulting in the neutralisation of notorious bandits and kidnappers in the region.
In January 2024, the Special Intervention Squad of the FCT Police Command neutralised three notorious bandits in a forest within the Bwari area of Abuja. Additionally, a notorious kidnapping kingpin, Janari, along with his accomplices, was killed during operations conducted by the air component of Operation Whirl Punch in Kaduna state, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat criminal activities in the region.
