One Prosper Ifedinuru, a pastor at Living Faith Tabernacle, a.k.a, Winners Chapel, Umulokpa, Uzo-Uwani LGA in Enugu, Enugu State, has allegedly abducted a 13-year-old girl for sex slavery.
It was gathered that the victim was rescued by a non-governmental organisation, Women Aid Collective (WACOL).
The development was confirmed by the agency through its media officer, Egodi Igwe.
According to Igwe, WACOL received the case of the abduction on 28th September 2023.
Igwe said, “the case was reported to WACOL by the parents of the victim who narrated the ugly incident and requested the rescue of their daughter.
“According to them, their daughter, Miss N (name withheld), was abducted by Prosper who came to their village as a Missionary”
There were reports that Prosper disappeared with the minor with the excuse that he was taking her to open a bank account.
The parents were also quoted to have told WACOL that after the pastor kidnapped their daughter, he disappeared and all efforts to trace him and the minor proved abortive.
“Subsequently, it was revealed that the ‘mysterious pastor’ had turned the minor into a sex slave that he constantly violated and abused.
“Immediately, the WACOL team contacted the Enugu State Police Command and began working with the police to track the perpetrator and rescue the child victim.
“During the investigation, the church authorities denied the perpetrator, saying he was no longer in their service.
“They acknowledged that he was previously in their employment but was not in any way supported to commit such a heinous crime against the innocent child.
“After numerous searches by the police, Prosper was caught at a border town in Umuahia, Abia State.
Igwe expressed displeasure with the rampant occurrence of such cases, saying, “It is simply unacceptable. Girls deserve to have a safe environment to flourish and excel.
“They should not have their childhood snatched from them by people who ought to protect them.
“Girls are not safe anywhere, even in religious spaces.
“There is a need for perpetrators to be held accountable and for tools of the law to be activated to protect girls in all places”, the statement read.