The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a 45-year-old pastor of a new generation church, identified simply as Lucky, for allegedly defiling a 10-year-old girl in the Ihuaje community, Ahoada East Local Government Area of the state.
The arrest was carried out by members of the local security outfit known as the ONELGA Security Planning and Advisory Committee (OSPAC), led by its Ahoada East Commander, Precious Ihuruzu. Acting on information received about the incident, OSPAC operatives moved into the community and took the pastor into custody before handing him over to the Ahoada Police Division.
Speaking on the case, Dennis Otobo, a member of the Association Against Child Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, said he was alerted by the gender desk of the State Ministry of Health about a suspected case of child abuse and was asked to follow up. During his investigation, he found that the pastor, who also owns a group of private schools in the area, had allegedly been sexually abusing the young girl in his care.
According to Otobo, the abuse came to light after the girl’s parents visited her at the pastor’s house. During their visit, the girl revealed that the pastor had been sexually violating her and would give her N500 each time to silence her.
Following this revelation, the parents took the girl to the hospital, where a preliminary medical examination was conducted. Otobo then contacted the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Ahoada, who advised that the matter be reported officially. The DPO reportedly assured that the case would be handled professionally and subsequently facilitated the arrest.
Otobo commended the efforts of the Ahoada DPO, the Chief Security Officer of Ahoada East, Hector Ekeakita, OSPAC, and rights advocate Prince Wiro, who is the National Coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights and Accountability Campaign, for their roles in ensuring the pastor’s arrest.
He called on the police to conduct a thorough investigation and, if the suspect is found culpable, to charge him to court without delay.
Confirming the development, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the arrest followed a formal complaint by the girl’s parents and was executed with the support of local security operatives.
“Yes, I can confirm his arrest. The Pastor is with us here in the Command. We received a complaint from the parents of the girl, and our men, working with a local vigilante there arrested him. Investigations are ongoing,” the PPRO said