A pastor with one of Nigeria’s largest Pentecostal churches, headquartered in Lagos, has been arrested in Ihuaje community, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, for allegedly defiling a 10-year-old girl.
The suspect, identified as Pastor Lucky (surname withheld), who also owns a group of private schools in the community, was apprehended on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, by operatives of the Organized Security Planning and Advisory Committee (OSPAC), formerly known as the ONELGA Security Planning and Advisory Committee.
The arrest was carried out under the directive of the Chief Security Officer of Ahoada East LGA, Hector Ekeakita, and executed by the OSPAC Commander, Precious Ihuruzu. The suspect was subsequently handed over to the Ahoada Police Division for further investigation.
Speaking to journalists, Denis Otobo, a member of the Association Against Child, Sexual, and Gender-Based Violence, explained how the case came to light.
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“On Saturday, I was contacted by the gender desk officer of the Ministry of Health regarding a case of child abuse. During my investigation, I discovered that Pastor Lucky, who also serves as a school proprietor in Ihuaje, had been sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl under his custody,” Otobo said.
“The abuse came to light when the girl’s parents visited her at the pastor’s residence. She disclosed the ongoing abuse and revealed that the pastor would give her ₦500 to remain silent after each encounter. The parents took her to the hospital for a preliminary examination before reporting to the authorities.”
Otobo commended the Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada, the Chief Security Officer of the LGA, and Prince Wiro, National Coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights, for their swift response in ensuring the suspect’s arrest.
He urged the police to conduct a thorough investigation and, if the suspect is found culpable, to prosecute him to the full extent of the law.
Confirming the development, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Superintendent Grace Iringe-Koko, said the arrest followed a formal complaint by the child’s parents. She added that an investigation is currently ongoing.
