The Federal Capital Territory Police Command, through its Rapid Response Squad 74, has arrested a pastor identified as Simon Kado, along with his relative Jesse Simon-Kado, and their driver Muhammad Isah, for their alleged involvement in child trafficking.
The arrest occurred on Friday when the suspects were intercepted while transporting 12 underage children – eight girls and four boys aged between five to 16 years – from Nasarawa State to Ogun State.
SP Josephine Adeh, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, disclosed this development in a statement released on Saturday.
Adeh stated, “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.”
“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.”
This arrest comes amidst heightened concerns over kidnapping and banditry in the FCT. In January 2024, security operatives neutralized three notorious bandits in a forest within the Bwari area of Abuja. Additionally, a kidnap kingpin known as Janari, responsible for several kidnappings in Kaduna State and Abuja, was killed alongside his associates during operations conducted by the air component of Operation Whirl Punch in Kaduna state.
