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Police arrest evangelist, others, uncover child trafficking church
Modupe Shodeinde
The Imo State Police Command has arrested an evangelist, Ugochi Orisakwe (47) and four others for allegedly using a church’s premises as a baby factory.
The arrest was confirmed by the Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Hussaini, in a release signed by the command’s spokesperson, Micheal Abattam, yesterday.
Ugoshi Orisakwe was arrested alongside her gang members, namely Chidi Orisakwe (34), Pauline Nwagbunwanne (42), Elizabeth Uzoma (61) and Chibueze Joy, 31.
The Commissioner of police said: “Sequel to credible information received on 8/9/2021 at about 08:30 hours by the Imo State Command’s tactical unit, that one Amarachi Okechukwu Dioku, a female aged 18 years, of Umudurualaoka Uba Ifakala Mbaitoli LGA of Imo State, who was earlier reported missing on June 23, 2021 by her parents, was sighted in the premises of a church located in an isolated area along MCC/Uratta Road in Owerri North LGA of Imo State.”
He said that the command’s Anti-kidnapping Unit stormed and cordoned off the church, Jesus Life Assembly, located at School Garden, Uratta in Owerri North LGA of Imo State, where the prime suspect and resident evangelist of the church, Evangelist Ugochi Orisakwe was arrested.
He stated that , “the victim, Miss Amarachi Okechukwu Dioku, was rescued unhurt with five months old pregnancy and was immediately taken to a government hospital for treatment. She was later reunited with her parents amid jubilation.
On interrogation, he disclosed that Evangelist Ugochi Orisakwe, confessed to having been using the church as “a place where young girls are kept, impregnated and after delivery, the girls are paid off and their babies sold to rich and childless clients.”
He said that investigation was ongoing and efforts were on to arrest other members of the syndicate who he said were on the run.
The Commissioner of Police commended the brilliant and gallant efforts of the tactical teams and called on Imo indigenes to be wary of churches located in isolated areas within their localities.
All person who indulge in kidnapping and child-trafficking were also warned to leave the state as a robust strategy that will lead to their arrest has been put in place
