A pastor of one of the new generation churches, an evangelist, two nurses and 13 others have been arrested for child trafficking and kidnapping by the Anambra State Directorate of State Security (DSS).

Parading the suspects Friday at the DSS State Headquarters in Awka, the State Director, Mr. Alex Okeiyi, said there had been rampant cases of missing children in recent times.

He noted that many churches and their pastors were involved in the illicit business of child trafficking, saying that the situation had become a source of worry to security and the society at large.

According to Okeiyi, the act is beyond child trafficking, “it is pure kidnap and they will be handed over to the relevant authorities for further action,” he said.

He explained that a total of 17 persons, including some members of the syndicate and buyers of the children, were arrested during the operation.

“The assignment was carried out by my command in collaboration with the Abia State counterpart and 144 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Asa, in Abia State,” Okeiyi said.

The three kidnapped children, Chinonso Oriuwa, aged three years, two-year-old Chidera Abiara and seven-month-old Chinasa Abiara, were rescued.

The arrested suspects are Chinuru Martins (a pastor) from Umuahia in Abia State, Solomon Loveday Nwadinobi from Umuahia and Chiko Chima Ogu from Obowu in Imo State, all males.

Others (females) include Nnenna Ogbonna Nwachukwu from Bende in Abia, Eunice Tochukwu Uwakwe (Obowu, Imo), Glory Nnennaya Okwara a nurse from Arochukwu in Abia, Felicia Ebeh (Mbaise, Imo) and Esther Eleanya (Abiriba, Abia).

The rest are Ifeoma Iwu (Obowu), Anurika Theophilus from Osisioma in Abia State, Adora Nwaneri, an evangelist from Orlu in Imo State, Loveth Nwankwo (Isiala Ngwa in Abia) and Comfort Charity Ononuju.

Okeiyi said that Nnenna Nwachukwu, a neighbor to the family of the two of the children, allegedly masterminded the kidnap of Chidera and Chinasa Abiara from theier mother, Chinonso, last September 2 at Uli in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State.

News Express gathered that during the kidnap operation, the mother of the victims was injected with a substance by the suspect, who tied her hands and legs before she finally passed out.

Okeiyi said: “After drugging the children’s mother, the children were taken to the kingpin of the syndicate, in Umuahia, Abia State, Eunice Uwakwe, and then to Aba, where Chidera was sold to a nurse, Felicia Ebeh, at the rate of N300,000.

“Ebeh, in turn, sold him to an Enugu-based trader, Solomon Nwadinobi, at the rate of N670,000.

“On the other hand, in the same Aba, Chinasa was sold to a female buyer from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at the rate of N650,000, out of which she paid N550,000 on the spot.

“Chinonso Oriuwa was kidnapped from St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Amakama, Umuahia, by the Uwakwe-led syndicate on October, 26 2014 and sold to another Aba-based nurse, Glory Okwara, who hitherto operated a spurious motherless babies home, Divine Mercy.

“The selling price was N470,000 and Okwara, in turn, sold him to Esther Eleanya at the rate of N600,000.

“Chiko Chima Ogu, a boyfriend to Eunice Uwakwe, who often harbours the kidnapped children, is usually paid commission, depending on the rates of purchase, while Anurika Theophilus conducts HIV tests on the babies brought to the motherless babies home.”

•Photo shows the kidnap suspects as paraded by Anambra DSS.